Our insect of the week for June 29, 2026 is the Giant Swallowtail, Papilio cresphontes. It was described by Pieter Cramer [1777]. Fun fact, when you see brackets around the year in a species name, it indicates the date was not originally printed in the text and has been inferred by others (either from historical archives or someone who subsequently revised the group). He was a Dutch merchant.

This butterfly is found throughout eastern North America (east of the Rocky Mountains) and is known from pats of Mexico, Jamaica, and Cuba. Adults are the largest butterflies in North America. Caterpillars often feed on citrus plants including hoptree and prickly ash. They typically feed at night and resemble bird droppings to deter predators.

The specimen in this photo was collected and photographed by Frank Hitchell in Peoria County, Illinois.