Spicebush Swallowtail Pterourus troilus Linnaeus, 1758    Synonyms: Papilio troilus.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Lepidoptera   >   Family Papilionidae   >   Genus Pterourus   

Status:

Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) occurs commonly throughout Maryland. This blackish butterfly is a Batesian mimic of the distasteful Pipevine Swalllowtail (Battus philenor). Batesian mimicry is when one or more harmless species mimics the appearance of a toxic or distasteful species, attaining some degree of protection from predators who learn to avoid the model, a protection usually extending to the mimics as well.

This swallowtail is on the wing much of the spring and summer in Maryland, from early May into early September, in several broods (Butterflies of Maryland: A Biological Summary and Checklist by Lynn Davidson & Richard Smith; Brock & Kaufman 2003).

Relationships:

Spicebush Swallowtail larvae only use the family Lauraceae as host plants. This includes Common Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) and Sassafras (Sassafras albidum).

There are 772 records in the project database.

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A Spicebush Swallowtail in Harford Co., Maryland (7/13/2017). Photo by Mary Sweet. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail on Swamp Milkweed in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/29/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail in Garrett Co., Maryland (8/11/2012). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A male Spicebush Swallowtail in Baltimore City, Maryland (7/14/2006). Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

Underwing of a nectaring Spicebush Swallowtail found in Wicomico Co., Maryland (6/17/2007). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/8/2014). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Spicebush Swallowtail in Harford Co., Maryland (7/17/2021). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

Spicebush Swallowtail in Howard Co., Maryland (8/2/2017). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

Spicebush Swallowtail in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/30/2017). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Harford Co., Maryland (9/9/2015). Photo by Bob Cammarata. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail larva in Baltimore Co., Maryland (9/18/2016). Photo by Bob Cammarata. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Howard Co., Maryland (9/25/2013). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Howard Co., Maryland (9/25/2013). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Howard Co., Maryland (9/5/2013). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail larva in Kent Co., Maryland (6/13/2016). Photo by Shannon Schade. (MBP list)

Spicebush Swallowtail in Washington Co., Maryland (6/15/2019). (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Judy Gallagher. (MBP list)

Spicebush Swallowtail in Howard Co., Maryland (9/10/2022). (c) Jim Moore (Maryland), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

An early instar of a Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Washington Co., Maryland (10/3/2012). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail pupa in Garrett Co., Maryland (3/10/2019). Verified by jwileyrains/BAMONA. Photo by Boyer and McDowell. (MBP list)

An early instar Spicebush Swallowtail in Howard Co., Maryland (9/5/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Spicebush Swallowtail in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/7/2019). (c) Matthew Beziat, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Spicebush Swallowtail in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/26/2019). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/7/2019). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Spicebush Swallowtail in Harford Co., Maryland (9/3/2022). (c) chjars, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by chjars via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail pupa in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (8/29/2009). See caterpillar image from 8/23. Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Spicebush Swallowtail in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/26/2019). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Carroll Co., Maryland (7/31/2019). Photo by Emilio Concari. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Montgomery Co., Maryland (10/24/2019). Photo by Bonnie Bell. (MBP list)

Spicebush Swallowtail in Dorchester Co., Maryland (5/27/2021). (c) Mark Etheridge, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Washington Co., Maryland (9/17/2013). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Washington Co., Maryland (9/17/2013). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Washington Co., Maryland (6/15/2019). Photo by Judy Gallagher. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Frederick Co., Maryland (9/17/2019). Photo by Bob Cammarata. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar in Harford Co., Maryland (9/12/2020). Photo by Richard Crook. (MBP list)

A Spicebush Swallowtail egg on Sassafras in Dorchester Co., Maryland (8/16/2018). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)


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