Our Butterfly of the Week is one of the big ones! It’s the giant swallowtail. These butterflies have a wingspan of about 5.5-6.9 inches for females and up to 5.8-7.4 inches for males. Their wings are dark brown/black with yellow markings and small dots of orange/red on their hindwings. Although the giant swallowtail caterpillars love eating citrus leaves, the adult butterflies generally prefer nectar from the flowers inside the pavilion instead of the orange slices in the feeding trays. Read more giant swallowtail fun facts below before visiting them at SOAR.
Fun Facts
- Giant swallowtails are the biggest butterflies in North America, which means you may be able to see one in the wild in different parts of the United States
- They live for about two-three weeks
- As adults, they enjoy nectar from various plants including milkweed, lantana, butterfly bush and zinnias
- As caterpillars, they can be found munching on citrus tree foliage
- They are called “swallowtails” because the tails at the end of their hindwings look like the forked tails of swallows, a bird that is found around the world
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