North American Butterflies and Moths List

The definitive website on wildbirds & nature

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Florida

Florida Purplewing (Eunica tatila)

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Florida Purplewing (Eunica tatila [Herrich-Schäffer])

Wing span: 1 9/16 - 2 7/16 inches (4 - 6.2 cm).

Identification: Upperside of both wings is brown with purple iridescence at bases. Outer half of forewing with 6 or 7 white spots, forewing apex with an irregular margin. Hindwing has 6 or 7 white eyespots at margin.

Life history: Not reported.

Flight: Throughout the year in southern Florida.

Caterpillar hosts: Not reported.

Adult food: Decaying fruit, nectar from Lantana and Cordia.

Habitat: Hardwood hammocks in the Florida Keys, river forests elsewhere.

Range: Argentina through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to southern Florida. Strays to South Texas, and rarely to Kansas.

Conservation: Conserve remaining habitat on Florida Keys.

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: Manage habitat so as to protect remaining hardwood hammocks.

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.

Smith, D. S., L. D. Miller, and J. Y. Miller. 1994. The butterflies of the West 
     Indies and South Florida. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 264 pages, 32 
     color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:

Gerberg, E.J. and Arnett, R.H., Jr.  Florida Butterflies.  Natural Science
     Publications, Inc.  Baltimore, MD.  90 pp.

Kimball, C.P.  1965.  Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas - Vol. 1:
     Lepidoptera of Florida.  Div. of Plant Industry, State of Florida Dept. 
     of Agriculture.  Gainesville, FL.  363 pp. 

Minno, M.C. and Emmel, T.C.  1993.  Butterflies of the Florida Keys.  Scientific
     Publishers.  Gainesville, FL.  168 pp.
     
Opler, P.A. 1998. A field guide to eastern butterflies, revised format.
     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.     

Smith, D.S., Miller, L.D. and Miller, J.Y.  1994.  The Butterflies of the West
     Indies and South Florida.  Oxford Univ. Press.  Oxford, U.K.  264 pp.

Florida Purplewing (Eunica tatila)

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