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Papilionidae (Swallowtails)•Egg to adult: 34 days

Spicebush Swallowtail

Papilio troilus

Quick Rearing Snapshot & Biology Overview

Rearing and biology notes for Spicebush Swallowtail

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Host Plants

Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), Sassafras (Sassafras albidum), Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Life Cycle Time

~34 Days total (Egg → Butterfly)

Winter Behavior

Pupal Diapause (Does Not Migrate)

Pupation Anchor

Girdle / Twig Sling

Thermal Degree-Day Hatch SimulatorInteractive

Slide ambient temperature to see how heat accelerates metamorphosis for Spicebush Swallowtail

75°F / 24°C
65°F (Cool / Slow)75°F (Optimal Room Temp)85°F (Warm / Fast)
Egg Incubation~5 Days
Larval Instars~17 Days
Chrysalis / Pupa~12 Days
Total Metamorphosis~34 Days

*Calculated via standard insect thermal summation models (base threshold 50°F / 10°C).

PLATE XIII • FIG. 13A•Taxonomic Plate • ADULT

Spicebush Swallowtail

Papilio troilus (Linnaeus, 1758) — Papilionidae • Papilioninae

5 cm Scale
•
Iridescent Peacock Cloud
•
Costal Orange Spot
•
Submarginal Ivory Lunules
Key Diagnostic Field Identifiers:
  • Velvety black wings with a single row of pale greenish-ivory submarginal dots on the forewing
  • Hindwing features an expansive cloud of shimmering iridescent sea-green (male) or cobalt-blue (female) scales
  • Bright orange submarginal spot on the leading edge of the hindwing and another at the anal angle
  • Larva is famous for its swollen snake-like false eyespots and nocturnal silk leaf-rolling behavior
:5 Days
:17 Days
:12 Days
:~34 Days

Larval Host Flora:

Silo 02 Botany

Only supply fresh, pesticide-free foliage from these verified native botanical species:

  • •Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
  • •Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
  • •Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
  • •Redbay (Persea borbonia)

Key Husbandry Tips

Silo 04 Husbandry
  • •Larvae construct cozy silk-tied leaf folds on spicebush or sassafras leaves, venturing out at night to feed.
  • •5th instar turns brilliant lime-green with huge yellow false eyespots containing blue pupils, mimicking a green snake to frighten birds.
  • •Turns pumpkin orange 24 hours before pupation as it purges its digestive tract.

Frequently Asked Questions (Spicebush Swallowtail)

Direct answers to the most common rearing, diet, and metamorphosis questions

Q&A Hub
Metamorphosis typically takes ~34 days from oviposition to adult eclosion at 75°F (24°C).

Master Research Guides for Spicebush Swallowtail

Rearing protocols, lifecycle stages, and field husbandry

Field Notes
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Region: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Great Lakes & Canada