North American Butterflies and Moths List

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The Registry of Nature Habitats

U.S. Geological Survey


Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Texas

Obscure Bolla (Bolla brennus)

Obscure Bolla (Bolla brennus [Godman & Salvin])

Wing span: 7/8 - 1 3/16 inches (2.2 - 3.1 cm).

Identification: Wings are black. Tiny white spots on apex of the forewing upperside are present in females, lacking in males. Underside has scattered orange scales.

Life history: Not reported.

Flight: October in South Texas; beginning in May in Mexico.

Caterpillar hosts: Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) in the nightshade family (Solanaceae).

Adult food: Not reported.

Habitat: Subtropical.

Range: Colombia north through Central America to central Mexico. A rare stray to the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.

Conservation: Not necessary for a rare stray.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None reported.

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.

     

Obscure Bolla (Bolla brennus)
distribution map
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