Comments for
Black Yellow Butterfly (Giant Swallowtail butterfly)

Click here to add your own comments

Spotted in WI
by: Heatheryruth

Yep, just saw one in Northwestern WI as well! Tried to take a pic of it as it fluttered around my Lantana plants. None of my pics turned out as well as yours though cuz it NEVER stopped moving!! :)

amazing
by: gabbbbbbby

i found one as i walkin home from school and it was dead so i decided to take home it home

also trying to identify
by: Anonymous

We just took a picture of the same butterfly in wooded naples, fl.

Beautiful yet weird...
by: Annabel

This butterfly has been hanging onto the paneling on my front porch since last night. It moved over a little into the corner but it's still there. It's beautiful... but it did scare the crap out of me this morning when I turned to lock the door :)

We have these in Texas too.
by: Anonymous

Thanks! I just saw one of these in my yard (Texas Gulf Coast) and was trying to look it up online to find out what it is. Good to know!

saw it in oklahoma city
by: oklahoma woman

i saw this butterfly on my zenias 9/12/9 in oklahoma city. its wings never stopped moving and i'm pretty sure it did not ever sit on the flowers, just hovered while eating.

yellow dog
by: Anonymous

we saw it here in southern cal.

Giant Swallowtail in Arizona
by: elena

I have seen several in my yard. Appear to love my large "Chrintine" lantana bush more than the orange and lemon tree I have. They are magnificent to watch!

Sigthing
by: Anonymous

I just one of these in my yard - SE Texas

no name butterfly?
by: bryan

Another beautiful macro of a butterfly, even though I do not know the names of any of them, I just love to see the photo side. excellent!

Giant Swallowtail butterfly
by: Moni

This is the giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes). And true to the name it is a large striking butterfly that is very abundant in Florida. And while the adult butterfly is welcome to flower gardens the larva or caterpillar, can be considered a pest because it feeds on the foliage of most Citrus species. The larva also feed on prickly ash and hop trees.
My sources say they are commonly "orange dogs", but like any common name that could vary by location and citrus grower. The larva are yellow-brown(early stage or brown in late stage) with a white saddle and with 2 blotches - one near front and one near rear of the caterpillar. Resembles a bird dropping. It will send out two orange "horns" if disturbed...perhaps where the name comes from?

Looks like your butterfly could be sitting on a citrus plant, but I'm not sure from the photo.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Insect Identification

Return to Black Yellow Butterfly (Giant Swallowtail butterfly)










.