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Dingy Purplewing
Eunica monima (Stoll, 1782)
Attributes of Eunica monimaFamily: Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae) Subfamily: Admirals and Relatives (Limenitidinae) Identification: Upperside is brown-black with a slight purple sheen. Dull, blurry white spots on forewing apex. Underside is brownish gray with no distinct pattern. Life history: Adults perch on tree trunks with their wings closed, opening them only in flight. Females lay eggs singly on young leaves, and the caterpillars eat leaves. Flight: Many broods all year in Mexico, June-September in South Texas, May-December in southern Florida. Wing span: 1 7/8 - 2 inches (4.8 - 5.1 cm). Caterpillar hosts: Tropical tree gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba) and tropical prickly ash (Zanthoxylum pentamon). Adult food: Rotting fruit, dung, and sap; seldom flower nectar. Habitat: Subtropical river forests, hardwood hammocks. Range: Venezuela north through Central America to Mexico and the West Indies. Periodic immigrant to southern Florida (where it may be an occasional resident), South Texas, and southern Arizona. Conservation: Not usually required. NatureServe Global Status: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Management needs: None reported. | Documented Records for Eunica monima |
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