Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180
Papilio pilumnus
This record describes Papilio pilumnus (species). Recorded family: Papilionidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Upperside of both fore- and hindwings yellow with black basal band. |
| Wings | Wings bordered by a black band with submarginal yellow stripe. |
| Hindwing | Hindwing has 3 tails and 2 blue spots above the shortest tail Kendall & McGuire discuss several s. TX records |
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Papilionidae (Swallowtails, Parnassians)
- Subfamily
- Papilioninae
- Tribe
- Papilionini
- Genus
- Papilio
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Tropical woodlands
Geographic Range
s TX (as a stray) to C. Amer. (BOA, MPG)
Seasonal Activity
March-October in Mexico
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Caterpillar hosts: Leaves of Litsea tree in Lauraceae family.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Papilio pilumnus Boisduval, 1836
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Papilio pilumnus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Alan Chin Lee; Additional contributions by cotinis , Steve Nanz , Matthew Roth , Mike Quinn , Nick Block
Frequently Asked Questions About Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180
What is Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180?
Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180 (Papilio pilumnus) is a species in the family Papilionidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Upperside of both fore- and hindwings yellow with black basal band. |
| Wings | Wings bordered by a black band with submarginal yellow stripe. |
| Hindwing | Hindwing has 3 tails and 2 blue spots above the shortest tail |
Where is Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Tropical woodlands |
| Range | s TX (as a stray) to C. Amer. (BOA, MPG) |
What does Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180 eat?
The diet of the Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180 includes Caterpillar hosts: Leaves of Litsea tree in Lauraceae family..
When is Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180 active?
Three-tailed Swallowtail - Hodges#4180: seasonal activity - March-October in Mexico.