Papilio thoas
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Papilio thoas, the king swallowtail or Thoas swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in the southernmost United States, Mexico, Central America and South America (as far south as Argentina and Uruguay). The species is easily confused with the giant swallowtail, which it closely resembles in both larval and adult stages. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of citrus plants (Rutaceae). They have also been reported as feeding on a member of the genus Piper.
A large species (12 to 14 cm (4.7 to 5.5 in) wingspan. The wings are narrow. The forewings are mostly brown. A yellow band runs from the tip, becoming narrower towards the back. There is also a row of yellow arcuate spots on the underside of the wing edge. The hind wings are predominantly brown, toothed and have a long caudal process. This carries a yellow core. There is a row of yellow arcuate spots at the edge of the hind wings. A broad yellow band runs through the first half of the wing. Inside sits a black eyespot with blue-white dusting. The yellow regions are more pronounced on the undersides of the wings. Blue-white arcuate spots adjoin the yellow arcuate spots on the upper side... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | São Luís | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Santa Cruz de la Sierra | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 3 | Salvador | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 4 | João Pessoa | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Fortaleza | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 6 | Mendoza | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 7 | Recife | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 8 | Valencia | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | |
| 9 | Manaus | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 10 | Natal | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Thoas Swallowtail sighting in Natal on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 6 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Thoas Swallowtail in Natal on a given day, against under 5% in June and September–March, the lowest months. That is one of Natal's wettest months, with about 150 mm of rain against 15 mm in November.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Thoas Swallowtail sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
10th of 33
Of the 33 cities where we can rate Thoas Swallowtail sightings, Natal ranks 10th at about 20%. The best odds are in São Luís (Brazil, about 50%), Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia, about 40%) and Salvador (Brazil, about 30%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Thoas Swallowtail that you can see in Natal (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Mexican Fritillary (about 40%), Orange-Spotted Flower Moth (about 20%) and White Peacock (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Thoas Swallowtail is recorded against all the insects logged in Natal (6 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
