North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Pink-spotted Swallowtail (Papilio pharnaces)
JPG -- species photo

Pink-spotted Swallowtail (Papilio pharnaces Doubleday)

Wing span: 3 5/16 - 3 3/4 inches (8.4 - 9.5 cm)

Identification: Wings black; some specimens without tails. Upper surface of hindwing with submarginal and postmedian bands of small pink spots.

Life history: None reported.

Flight: February-October in Mexico, April in south Texas.

Caterpillar hosts: Plants in citrus (Rutaceae) family.

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Edges of woods at low-middle elevations.

Range: Central and southern Mexico. One stray reported from lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.

Conservation: Not required for tropical stray.

Management needs: None noted.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).

References:


Beutelspacher, C. R. 1984. Mariposas de Mexico, Fasciculo I. La Prensa Medica

    Mexicana, S. A. 171 pages, 20 color plates.



Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern butterflies.

     Peterson field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 396 pages, 48

     color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

Pink-spotted Swallowtail (Papilio pharnaces)
distribution map
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