Interactive Butterfly CD
Butterflies of the
Carolinas & Virginias

Giant Swallowtail,
Papilio cresphontes

Size: Wingspan is 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 inches.

Similar Species: None

Habitat: Mostly coastal in North Carolina found near maritime forests and thickets. Citrus trees in the far south are the host plants and in the mountains Prickly Ash (Xanthaxylum americanum) and Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata) are the host plants.

Abundance: Uncommon to rare, a migrate from the south in most cases. Figure Eight Island and Fort Fisher are your best bets to find this species in North Carolina.

Flight Period: Flies from late April until November. Best found in late summer.

Comments: This Giant Swallowtail I photographed in the Carolina Pavilion Butterfly House in Durham. I`ve seen one in NC on Figure Eight Island (Al Gore`s G men ran me off before I could get a photo) and another at Fort Fisher in 2000