Bug FAQOrnythion Swallowtail
Papilio ornythion · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Papilionidae
Source: Wikipedia
The Ornythion Swallowtail has a wingspan of about 8 to 11 cm. It lives in Mexico and Guatemala and is sometimes seen in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Kansas, with adults flying from April through September and likely two generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The underside of the wings is mainly pale yellow.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 83 to 115 mm (about 3.3 to 4.5 inches).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in Mexico and Guatemala.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on the leaves of citrus trees. Adult butterflies sip nectar from flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from April to September. There are probably two generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active from April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes Mexico and Guatemala.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 3 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, New Mexico, Kansas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult Ornythion Swallowtails active?
Adults are on the wing from April to September.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations do they have each year?
They probably produce two generations per year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I expect to see this butterfly?
It is native to Mexico and Guatemala and is occasionally seen in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Kansas.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Papilionidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_ornythion
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.