Encourage a Visit From a Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

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Gardening news from UCCE Master Gardeners of Orange County

Published on: November 27, 2014

If you grow citrus trees in your yard, chances are you will see an occasional Papilio cresphontes hanging out nearby. Also known as the Giant Swallowtail butterfly, they are especially attracted to citrus trees among other plants commonly found in Mediterranean gardens.

Although as caterpillars they like to eat new growth on citrus trees, they rarely become problematic and most gardeners find them an attractive addition to their garden. Planting citrus as well as lantana, golden rod, azalea, bougainvillea, milkweed and honeysuckle, and avoiding using pesticides, will encourage these yellow and black, four to six inch butterflies to visit the garden.

Comments: 4

Comments:

by Ron

on January 1, 2015 at 10:31 PM

The larvae apparently love white sapote foliage! I noticed several of the bird dropping-like caterpillars on my young sapote in October. I let them be (about six reached maturity), hoping to see the chrysalis. But they crawled down the tree when they were ready and disappeared into my yard! Any tips on finding the chrysalises? Stands to reason they're somewhere in the vicinity.

by Loren Nelson

on January 2, 2015 at 10:34 AM

Hi Ron:

Please submit your question to our Hotline at...

http://uccemg.com/Gardening_Hotline/

... where our team of trained & certified UCCE Master Gardener volunteers will research your question and supply an answer as quickly as possible.

Cordially,
Loren
UCCE Master Gardener volunteer

by Izabela Gomez

on July 26, 2022 at 8:55 AM

Ive noticed my Giant Swallowtail catterpillars falling off the wild lime tree. I was hoping to grow them into adults and twice I found them on the ground. I do not see the adults like previos years.

by Courtney king

on August 30, 2022 at 11:12 AM

I seen the giant swallow butterfly on my lemon tree
I'll be having fruit in no time