Papilionidae : Papilioninae
Pterourus troilus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Spicebush Swallowtail
Pterourus troilus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Spicebush Swallowtail
Description and Similar Species: Wingspan 110-130mm. Sexually dimorphic. Females differ in having brown forewings and less blue on the hindwings. De Villiers' Swallowtail Battus devilliers also has blue on the hindwing but lacks the sub-terminal row of pale spots on the forewing.
Range: Widespread throughout Eastern USA and SE Canada.
Status: A rare straggler to Cuba from the US and the only West Indian record was at Habana in May 1945 (Hernández, 2004).
Nectar Plants: Many flowers and males also take moisture on the ground.
Larval Foodplants: Most commonly either Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) or Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) on the mainland.
Range: Widespread throughout Eastern USA and SE Canada.
Status: A rare straggler to Cuba from the US and the only West Indian record was at Habana in May 1945 (Hernández, 2004).
Nectar Plants: Many flowers and males also take moisture on the ground.
Larval Foodplants: Most commonly either Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) or Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) on the mainland.