Malachite Butterfly on a Mexican Coneflower
by Larry Trupp
Title
Malachite Butterfly on a Mexican Coneflower
Artist
Larry Trupp
Medium
Photograph - Photography/digital Art
Description
The Malachite (Siproeta stelenes) is a neotropical brush-footed butterfly (family Nymphalidae). The malachite has large wings that are black and brilliant green or yellow-green on the uppersides and light brown and olive green on the undersides. It is named for the mineral malachite, which is similar in color to the bright green on the butterfly's wings. The wingspread is typically between 8.5 and 10 cm (3.3 and 3.9 in). The malachite is found throughout Central and northern South America, where it is one of the most common butterfly species. Its distribution extends as far north as southern Texas and the tip of Florida, to Cuba, as subspecies S. s. insularis (Holland, 1916), and south to Brazil.
Adults feed on flower nectar, rotting fruit, dead animals, and bat dung. Females lay eggs on the new leaves of plants in the Acanthaceae family, especially ruellia. The larvae are horned, spiny black caterpillars with red markings.
Malachites are often confused with Philaethria dido. They have similar coloration, but their wing shapes are different...Taken in the Shirley Richardson Butterfly Garden at Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada�.Imported from Costa Rica.
Uploaded
January 9th, 2013
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Viewed 904 Times - Last Visitor from Beverly Hills, CA on 03/28/2024 at 4:44 AM
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Comments (39)
Larry Trupp
Features are appreciated in the following Groups: I Wish I was There...thanks Don...New FAA uploads...thank Robert, and 100 Views...thanks Savanna.
Larry Trupp
I appreciate the Feature in 3 Day Waiting Room Art...thanks Luther, and Premium FAA Artists...thanks Dan