Thoas Swallowtail (Papilio thoas)

Order: Lepidoptera (le-pid-OP-ter-a) (Info) Family: Papilionidae (pap-ill-lee-ON-ih-dee) (Info) Genus: Papilio (pap-ILL-ee-oh) (Info) Species: thoas Profile: No positives 1 neutral No negatives Member Notes: Rating Author Comment Neutral Magpye On Aug 16, 2006, Magpye from NW Qtr, AR (Zone 6a) wrote: Wing span: 4 1/8 - 5 inches (10.5 - 12.8 cm). Identification: Upperside of forewing has diagonal yellow band of square spots in a neat row. Life history: Caterpillars resemble bird droppings and rest exposed on leaves. Flight: Year-round in the tropics, April-July in south Texas. Caterpillar hosts: Plants in the citrus family (Rutaceae) including Citrus spp., prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata); six species in the Piperaceae family. Adult food: Flower nectar, including lantana, cesalpina, and bougainvilla. Habitat: Mid-elevation tropical forests and lowland edges. Range: South Texas south to Brazil. Very rare stray into Kansas and Oklahoma.