What are the chances of seeing an Eastern Giant Swallowtail in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge?
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Giant Swallowtail sighting in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 58th most-seen of the 189 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see an Eastern Giant Swallowtail in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge?
June and August–September
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Giant Swallowtail in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, against under 5% in October to February, the lowest months. Those are among Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge's wettest months, with about 190 mm of rain a month against 50 mm in March.
What time of day is best to see an Eastern Giant Swallowtail?
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eastern Giant Swallowtail sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge the best place to see an Eastern Giant Swallowtail?
3rd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Eastern Giant Swallowtail sightings, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Point Pelee National Park (Canada, about 30%) and Everglades National Park (United States, about 20%).
Which relatives of the Eastern Giant Swallowtail live in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge?
Same genus: Papilio
The closest relatives of the Eastern Giant Swallowtail that you can see in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (genus Papilio, Common Swallowtails) are Black Swallowtail (about 10%), Palamedes Swallowtail (about 10%) and Spicebush Swallowtail (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Eastern Giant Swallowtail sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Eastern Giant Swallowtail is recorded against all the insects logged in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (22 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
