Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus
Papilionidae
The dark swallowtail with the blue-green sheen on its hind wings. Adults are unmistakable, but the caterpillars are the real show — they fold spicebush leaves into little tents and stare out with a pair of huge fake eyespots that are so realistic they'll make you flinch.
How to spot one.
3–4 inch wingspan
Black wings with pale marginal spots and iridescent blue-green on hind wings
Larger orange spot on hind wing than most other black swallowtails
Long tails — swallowtail signature
How it lives.
Two broods per year in NJ. Females lay individual eggs on the undersides of spicebush and sassafras leaves. Young caterpillars mimic bird droppings; mature ones develop the famous fake-eye disguise and stay tucked in folded leaves during the day.
The spec sheet.
- Type
- Butterfly
- Active
- April – September
- Native to NJ
- Yes
- Conservation status
- stable
- Family
- Papilionidae
What it needs.
Plants this species visits, feeds on, or depends on. Names in hydrangea link to the plant’s Field Guide entry.
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
Larval host
Sassafras
Larval host
Nectar source
Nectar source
NJ Butterflies · North American Butterfly Association
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