Admirals and Relatives (Subfamily Limenitidinae)

Ruddy Daggerwing
Marpesia Petreus

• Common Name: The Ruddy Daggerwing, for orange color and hooked wings.
• Description: With a wingspan of Wing span: 2 3/4 - 3 3/4 inches (7 - 9.5 cm)., Tip of forewing is elongated. Hindwing has long dagger-like tails. Upperside is orange with 3 thin black lines. Underside is mottled brown and black, resembling a dead leaf.
• Life history: To watch for females, males perch 15-30 feet above ground on sunlit trees 
• Caterpillar hosts: Common fig (Ficus carica) and wild banyan tree (F. citrifolia) in the fig family (Moraceae).
• Adult food: Nectar from giant milkweed in Florida; Cordia, Casearia, Lantana, and Mikania in the tropics. 
• Habitat: Hardwood hammocks and thickets. Nature trails, through the hardwood hammocks in Everglades National Park, are a good place to watch for the Ruddy Daggerwing.
• Range: Brazil north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to southern Florida. Strays north to Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and South Texas.
• Flight: Most of the year in Florida, but are most common from May-July.
• Conservation: Not of conservation concern in Florida.T he Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. 

Note:This species is also often found on rotting fruit which makes it an appropriate choice for our mascot,  since the Moringa members lare fond of sipping wine .

For photos and information on other Butterflies in Broward County 
visit the Northern Prarie Wildlife Research Center

To learn about butterlies and how to bring them into your yard with a list of  nectar plants and larval plants you can put in your south Florida garden
visit A Garden Diary - A Guide to Gardening in South Florida - Butterflies
 
 
 
 

Visit The Florida Museum of Natural History where you will find a searchable database of butterflies and wildflowers http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/wildflower/