Description:
	Large butterfly with a wing span up to 6 1/4 inches. The forewing has a diagonal band of yellow spots. The tails are edged with black and filled with yellow.
Range:
	Widespread in North America including northern Mexico.
Habitats:
	Hammocks, pinelands and gardens.
Nutritional Requirements:
	The caterpillars feed on the leaves and young shoots of the host plants.
Reproduction:
	The eggs are laid singly on the leaves and twigs of the host plants.
Ecology:
	Native larval host plants include the cultivated trees common torchwood (Amyris elemifera), Hercules'-club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis) and wild-lime (Zanthoxylum fagara). Other native host plants include the critically imperiled tree Biscayne prickly-ash (Zanthoxylum coriaceum) and West Indian satinwood (Zanthoxylum flavum). Larvae will also feed on cultivated plants in the lime family, including citron (Citrus medica), grapefruit (Citrus xparadisi), Key lime (Citrus aurantifolia), lemon (Citrus limon), Mandarin lime (Citrus xlimonia), sour orange (Citrus aurantium), sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) and tangerine (Citrus reticulata). Native nectar plants include the cultivated trees poisonwood (Metopium toxiferum) and smooth strongback (Bourreria succulenta), the shrubs Florida Keys blackbead (Pithecellobium keyense) and wild-sage (Lantana involucrata), the wildflower swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), and the vine yellowroot (Morinda royoc). Weedy native nectar plants include Jack-in-the-bush (Chromolaena odorata). Adults will also nectar on the common landscape plant paper flower (Bougainvillea glabra), the fruit papaya (Carica papaya), the cultivated exotic Mexican flamevine (Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides), and invasive exotic tree Brazilian-pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius).
Flight:
	All year in South Florida.
Comments:
	The caterpillars resemble bird droppings. Synonyms: Heraclides cresphontes.