Catonephele numilia

Family

Nymphalidae

Genus

Catonephele

Specie

numilia

Forewing Length

male 34-36 mm / female 38-40 mm

Range

Mexico to S. Brazil and Argentina. Subspecies: Mexico to Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Trinidad.

Host Plant

Alchornea costarricensis, A. latifolia (Euphorbiaceae).

Pupa Stage

Approximately 8 days.

Pupa Description

Various shades of green with brown wingpads and orange spiracles and portion of the thorax.

Adults Description

Sexes dimorphic. Male distinguished by the six round orange spots on the velvet black dorsal surface, a characteristic easily seen in the field. Female distinguished by the cream colored medial band on the forewing and no bands on the hingdwing . This cannot be confused with any other Central American species.

Habits Description

Occurs from sea level to 1,000 m, where it is most common in wet forest habitats, less common in mountain forests, and very rare in the Guanacaste dry forest. Encountered as solitary individuals in a diversity of microhabitats that include deep shade, forest canopy, and forest edges. The males perch in light gaps high in the forest subcanopy on tree trunks from morning until early afternoon. The females fly during midday, searching for hostplants along water courses and trails in the forest.

Special Thanks to Dr. Philip J. Devries

He researched nature for a long time in a huge effort to open our eyes to some impressive details making possible a deeper comprehension of entomology.

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