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Blomfild's Beauty (Smyrna blomfildia [Hübner])
Wing span: 3 - 3 1/2 inches (7.6 - 9 cm).
Identification: Upperside of male is red-orange, female is brown; both a have black forewing apex with three white spots. Underside of hindwing has a wavy brown and tan pattern with two submarginal eyespots.
Life history: Males are somewhat territorial and perch head downward on tree trunks to wait for females. Eggs are laid singly under host plant leaves; caterpillars eat leaves and rest underneath them. Adults fly swiftly and roost singly.
Flight: All through the year in the tropics.
Caterpillar hosts: Tree Urera in the nettle family (Urticaceae).
Adult food: Rotting fruit.
Habitat: Tropical forests.
Range: Peru north through Central America to Mexico. Periodically wanders to South Texas.
Conservation: Not required for rare stray.
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: None reported.
References:
DeVries, P. J. 1987. The butterflies of Costa Rica and their natural history.
Papilionidae, Pieridae, Nymphalidae. Princeton University Press, Princeton,
New Jersey. 327 pages, 50 color plates.
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:
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.
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 1999 -
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