Insect
Two-tailed Swallowtail
Papilio multicaudataAlso known as Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail
Two-tailed Swallowtails are large yellow butterflies marked with black tiger stripes and two slender tails on each hindwing. Caterpillars feed on several woody host plants, while adults visit flowers for nectar across western North America.
swallowtail butterflytiger stripeswestern pollinator
—observations
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—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAdults drink nectar; caterpillars eat leaves of ash, chokecherry, hoptree, and related hosts
Predators
- birds
- spiders
- predatory wasps
ThreatsPesticides, loss of host plants, drought, extreme heat, and habitat fragmentation
HabitatsCanyons, foothills, open woodland, riparian corridors, parks, and gardens
Life spanAdults live for several weeks; the complete life cycle commonly spans one year
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyPapilionidae
- GenusPapilio
- SpeciesPapilio multicaudata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Do not capture adults or remove caterpillars and host foliage from the site.
Responsible observation
- Identify: Count two narrow tails on each yellow and black hindwing.
- Watch: Observe nectar visits without blocking the butterfly's route between flowers.
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Mystic Meadows
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