Common swallowtail

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A reference overview

Papilio machaon, the Old World swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. The butterfly is also known as the common yellow swallowtail or simply the swallowtail (a common name applied to all members of the family, but this species was the first to be given the name). It is the type species of the genus Papilio.

Overview excerpt from Wikipedia contributors · Papilio machaon, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Excerpt may be shortened. Overview retrieved 2026-10-09.

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This overview is attributed to Wikipedia contributors and was retrieved on 2026-10-09. Retrieval is not independent scientific review.

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The picture has a linked creator and license. Extinct-animal images may show a fossil, specimen or reconstruction; a reconstruction is not a photograph of the living animal.

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Map points represent selected regions, not complete ranges or live sightings. References and identifications can change. A linked source is not an expert certification.

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Common swallowtail

A reference overview

The evidence behind this discovery

Where will this discovery take you?

Monarch butterfly ↗

What can a picture tell you? ↗

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