Red Cracker (Hamadryas amphinome [Linnaeus])
Wing span: 3 1/16 - 3 3/8 inches (7.8 - 8.6 cm).
Identification: Upperside is black marbled with blue; forewing has a wide white band. Underside of hindwing is brick red; submarginal eyespots are mostly concealed.
Life history: Eggs are laid in chains of 5-10 on underside of host plant leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves and live communally. Adults perch on tree trunks head downward with their wings spread open. Before dark, adults gather on a single tree, then disperse to roost in nearby trees or shrubs. Males make a crackling noise as they fly to interact with other insects.
Flight: Many flights throughout the year in Mexico and the tropics. Strayed to Texas in September.
Caterpillar hosts: Vine Dalechampia in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae).
Adult food: Rotting fruit and other non-floral resources.
Habitat: Tropical forest edges and clearings, second-growth scrub.
Range: Argentina north through tropical America to central Mexico and Cuba. A rare stray (once) to the lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.
