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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae) » Daggerwings, Map Butterflies (Cyrestinae) » Daggerwings (Marpesia) » Ruddy Daggerwing - Hodges#4550 (Marpesia petreus)

Species Marpesia petreus - Ruddy Daggerwing - Hodges#4550

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Internet References
Ruddy Daggerwing - Marpesia petreus Unknown caterpillar - Marpesia petreus Ruddy Daggerwing life cycle - Marpesia petreus - male Ruddy Daggerwing life cycle - Marpesia petreus - male Ruddy Daggerwing life cycle - Marpesia petreus - male Ruddy Daggerwing life cycle - Marpesia petreus - male Ruddy Daggerwing life cycle - Marpesia petreus - male Ruddy Daggerwing - Marpesia petreus
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)
Family Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Subfamily Cyrestinae (Daggerwings, Map Butterflies)
Genus Marpesia (Daggerwings)
Species petreus (Ruddy Daggerwing - Hodges#4550)
Hodges Number
4550
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Marpesia petreus (Cramer)
Orig. Comb: Papilio petreus Cramer 1776
Size
Wingspan 7-9.5 cm
Identification
Distinctive two-tone leaf-mimic underneath, orange with darker bars above. Spectactular "tails" on hindwings.
Range
stray n. to se. AZ to s. TX, peninsular FL / Mex. / W. Indies - Map (MPG)
Habitat
Tropical lowland forests, in Florida, "hardwood hammocks".
Season
year round in south Florida, most common May-July - MPG
Food
Adults take nectar from a variety of plants, such as Asclepias and Mikania.
Life Cycle
Larvae feed on fig, Ficus species. In Florida this is likely to be Strangler Fig, Ficus aurea.
See Also
Rare stray to FL Keys:
Marpesia eleuchea Hübner, 1818
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - MPG
Butterflies of America - BOA
Dallas Butterflies
Contributed by Cotinis on 21 April, 2004 - 12:25am
Additional contributions by Mike Quinn, David Ferguson
Last updated 9 November, 2015 - 10:12pm

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