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Spicebush Swallowtail

Papilio troilus

Description:

Typically, the wingspan of a Spicebush Swallowtail ranges from 3-4 inches.[8] Adults are primarily black/brown in color, with a trademark green-blue (male) or bright blue (female) splotch in the shape of a half moon on the hind-wings. The forewing has a border of cream-colored, oval spots. In the middle portion of the wing, the spots can be moon-shaped and a light blue in color.[6] Both sexes have cream-yellow moon-shaped spots on the edges of the hind-wings and a bright, orange spot at the base of the wings.[9] In females, the orange spot at the base of the wings will turn a greenish-white shade in summer, but not the spring.

1 Species ID Suggestions

KarenL
KarenL 10 years ago
Eastern tiger swallowtail (female dark morph)
Papilio glaucus Butterflies and Moths of North America | collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera


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5 Comments

Candice Trimble
Candice Trimble 10 years ago

Butterflies and Moths of North America experts finally verified my spotting as a Spicebush Swallowtail, they added my pictures to their website which I provided the link for. =)

KarenL
KarenL 10 years ago

I'm pretty sure this is a Tiger swallowtail though the color looks a little off. If it were a black swallowtail there would be a row of yellow patches above the blue - see photo 9 http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/speci...

Candice Trimble
Candice Trimble 10 years ago

Thanks! =)

LarryGraziano
LarryGraziano 10 years ago

Lovely!

Candice Trimble
Spotted by
Candice Trimble

Front Royal, Virginia, USA

Spotted on Aug 2, 2013
Submitted on Aug 2, 2013

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