North American Butterflies and Moths List

The definitive website on wildbirds & nature




The Registry of Nature Habitats

U.S. Geological Survey


Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Texas

Crimson Patch (Chlosyne janais)
JPG -- species photo
More Images

Crimson Patch (Chlosyne janais [Drury])

Wing span: 1 7/8 - 2 5/8 inches (4.8 - 6.7 cm).

Identification: Upper and lower sides of forewing are black with small white spots. Upper hindwing is black with large orange-red patch on the basal half. Lower side of hindwing has an orange-red postmedian band that does not extend to margins of the wing.

Life history: Eggs are laid in groups under host plant leaves. Caterpillars feed on the undersides of leaves; younger caterpillars feed gregariously.

Flight: Several broods in South Texas from July-November, all year in the tropics.

Caterpillar hosts: Scrubby plants in the acanthus family (Acanthaceae) including Anisacanthus wrightii in Texas.

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Lowland tropical forest edges and fields.

Range: Colombia north through Central America and Mexico to South Texas. Strays to north Texas and southeastern New Mexico.

Conservation: Not necessary for sporadic resident.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: Provide host plant patches in refuges and parks along the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.

References:


Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern butterflies. Peterson 

     field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates.



Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, 

     Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:


Neck, R.W. 1996. A Field Guide to Butterflies of Texas. Gulf Publishing Co., 

     Houston, Texas.



Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised 

     edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.



Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies. 

     Privately published, Denver, Colo. 



Tilden, J.W. and A.C. Smith. 1986. A Field Guide to Western Butterflies. 

     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.

     

Tveten, J. and Tveten, G.  1996.  Butterflies of Houston & Southeast Texas.

     Univ. of Texas Press, Austin, TX.  292 pp.

     

Crimson Patch (Chlosyne janais)
distribution map
map legend

Disclaimer
Return to species list
Return to Butterflies of North America main page