Ideopsis juventa: Grey Glassy Tiger Butterfly

The Wood Nymph, Gray Glassy Tiger, or Grey Glassy Tiger [Ideopsis juventa] is a species of nymphalid butterfly in the Danainae subfamily. It is found in Southeast Asia.

This butterfly is dark gray or black with two rows of circular white dots along the margins of its wings and any elongated white patchs closer to the body. The elongated white patches appear to radiate from the thorax.

Photo: Florida Museum of Natural History, Butterfly Rainforest, Gainesville, Florida  [20140727]

Source: Wikipedia

Heliconius hortense: Mexican Longwing

The Mexican Longwing, Mexican Heliconian, or Mountain Longwing [Heliconius hortense] is a Heliconiid butterfly.

The basic color of the uppersides of the wings is black, with a vertical white band on the forewings and an horizontal red band on the hindwings. The undersides are dark brown, with a white band on the forewings and a few red spots at the base of the hindwings. The adults feed on pollens and live up to 6 months. Females usually lay yellow eggs singly on shoots of various host plants, mainly Passiflora species, of which caterpillars primarily feed.

Heliconius hortense occurs in East and West Mexico and from Honduras to Ecuador.

This species can be found in cloud forest from sea level to 2,300 m.

Photo: Florida Museum of Natural History, Butterfly Rainforest, Gainesville, Florida  [20140727]

Source: Wikipedia

Troides rhadamantus: Golden Birdwing Butterfly

The Golden Birdwing [Troides rhadamantus] is a birdwing butterfly that inhabits the Philippines. There are many subspecies on different islands of the Philippines.

Photos: Florida Museum of Natural History, Butterfly Rainforest, Gainesville, Florida  [20140727]

Source: Wikipedia

Eumaeus atala: Coontie Hairstreak Butterfly

^ Battered but beautiful

The Atala, Eumaeus atala, is a small colorful butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southeastern Florida, the Bahamas, Cuba, the Cayman Islands [probable on other Caribbean islands in archipelago]. Its coloration and habits are unique among butterflies within its range.

The Atala is a great example of aposematic [warning] coloration throughout its life cycle. The brightly colored larva or caterpillar feeds on cycads which contain a toxic secondary plant chemical [“cycasin”] which it retains in its body for life. Birds, lizards, and other animals may attempt to prey on the larva, pupa, and adults, but find them distasteful and learn to avoid these brightly patterned insects. In Florida, the larva [caterpillar] feeds on a native cycad, Zamia pumila, called Coontie, as well as introduced ornamental cycads. Another name for the butterfly is Coontie Hairstreak.

Photo: Florida Museum of Natural History, Butterfly Rainforest, Gainesville, Florida  [20140727]

Source: Wikipedia

Nessaea obrinus: Obrina Olivewing Butterfly

The Obrina Olivewing [Nessaea obrinus] is a species of butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found from Colombia and the Guianas to the mouth of the Amazon and south to central Bolivia and Mato Grosso in Brazil, extending to northern Argentina.

The length of the wings is 25–40 mm for males and 26–41 mm for females.

Photo: Florida Museum of Natural History, Butterfly Rainforest, Gainesville, Florida  [20140727]

Source: Wikipedia

Hamadryas amphichloe diasia: Caribbean Cracker Butterfly

 

Distribution: South Florida [rare stray], Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Mona, Puerto Rico.

Hamadryas sp. : Cracker butterflies are a neotropical group of medium-sized brush-footed butterfly species of the genus Hamadryas. They acquired their common name due to the unusual way that males produce a “cracking” sound as part of their territorial displays.

Photo: Florida Museum of Natural History, Butterfly Rainforest, Gainesville, Florida  [20140727]

Source: Butterflies of America, Wikipedia

Heliconius hewitsoni: Hewitson’s Longwing

Hewitson’s Longwing occurs on the Pacific Slope of western Panama and Costa Rica. The wings are black with two white forewing stripes and one white hindwing stripe. The underside is similar, but with small red patches close to the body. Adults have a fast flight, and can be found in forests, usually within the canopy. Females gather in groups to lay eggs together.

The caterpillars are yellow and green, and feed on passion vine [Passifloraceae]. They pupate in groups in pale yellow to pale brown chrysalis covered in black veins and spines.

Photo: Florida Museum of Natural History, Butterfly Rainforest, Gainesville, Florida  [20140727]

Source: Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory, Wikipedia

Heliconius numata: Numata Longwing butterfly

The Numata Longwing [Heliconius numata] is a brush-footed butterfly species native to most of South America, known for its mimicry of Melinaea butterflies. Both Heliconius numata and the species of Melinaea it resembles are unpalatable to predators, making this a case of Müllerian mimicry, a mutualistic reinforcement of the same negative signal.

Heliconius numata is a neotropical species, less common in virgin forest than in areas of secondary growth. Both males and females are attracted to red or orange flowers, or indeed to pieces of cloth colored red or orange. Eggs and larvae are typically found on low-growing vines of Passiflora.

Photos: Florida Museum of Natural History, Butterfly Rainforest, Gainesville, Florida  [20140727]

Source: Wikipedia

Dione juno: Juno Silverspot Butterfly

 

The Juno Silverspot, Juno Longwing, or Juno Heliconian [Dione juno] is a species of butterflies of the subfamily Heliconiinae in the family Nymphalidae found from southern USA to South America.

Photos: Florida Museum of Natural History, Butterfly Rainforest, Gainesville, Florida  [20140727]

Source: Wikipedia

 

Dodecatheon dentatum: Shooting Stars

 

Dodecatheon dentatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, known by the common names white shooting star and toothed American cowslip. It is native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, including British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

 

It is an herbaceous perennial growing to 40–50 cm [16–20 in] in height. The leaves have pointed oval blades with wavy or toothed edges. Each is borne on a long, winged petiole. The inflorescence contains 1 to 12 flowers. It arises on a tall, erect flowering stalk. The flower corolla has five white lobes. They are reflexed away from the flower’s center, which contains one style surrounded by large reddish, purplish or black anthers containing pollen.

Photo: Georgia Perimeter College, Atlanta, GA [20060419]

Source: Wikipedia