Mexican Bluewing (Myscelia ethusa [Boisduval])
Wing span: 2 1/2 - 3 inches (6.4 - 7.6 cm).
Identification: Forewing apex is truncated. Upperside is black with iridescent blue bands; outer half of forewing has white spots.
Life history: Young caterpillars make a resting perch by attaching dung pellets and silk to a leaf vein. The adults rest on tree trunks with wings closed, exposing their undersides which look like bark.
Flight: Many flights throughout the year in South Texas.
Caterpillar hosts: In the tropics, Dalechampia in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae).
Adult food: Rotting fruit.
Habitat: Stream valleys with dry scrub or scattered tropical forest.
Range: Colombia north through Central America to Mexico. Periodically strays and lives in the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.
