Florida Purplewing
Eunica tatila (Herrich-Schäffer, [1855])
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Biblidinae
Identification: Upperside of both wings is brown with purple iridescence at bases. Outer half of forewing with 6 or 7 white spots, forewing apex with an irregular margin. Hindwing has 6 or 7 white eyespots at margin.
Wing Span: 1 9/16 - 2 7/16 inches (4 - 6.2 cm).
Life History: Not reported.
Flight: Throughout the year in southern Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: Not reported.
Adult Food: Decaying fruit, nectar from Lantana and Cordia.
Habitat: Hardwood hammocks in the Florida Keys, river forests elsewhere.
Range: Argentina through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to southern Florida. Strays to South Texas, and rarely to Kansas.
Conservation: Conserve remaining habitat on Florida Keys.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Manage habitat so as to protect remaining hardwood hammocks.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 36 of 36 verified sightings
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Key Largo County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Ector County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Big Pine Key County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Matecumbe Key County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Plantation Key County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Eliott Key County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Tamaulipas, Mexico
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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