Mexican Bluewing
Myscelia ethusa (Doyère, [1840])
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Biblidinae
Identification: Forewing apex is truncated. Upperside is black with iridescent blue bands; outer half of forewing has white spots.
Wing Span: 2 1/2 - 3 inches (6.4 - 7.6 cm).
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.
Conservation: Conserve remaining Tamaulipan brushland habitats in the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Expand the lower Rio Grande Valley refuge complex. Protect existing habitats on refuges.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 59 verified sightings
Observation date: Dec 17, 2024
Submitted by: dbryant562
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 05, 2025
Observation date: Nov 27, 2024
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 30, 2024
Observation date: Feb 26, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 11, 2024
Observation date: Apr 06, 2024
Submitted by: rkw9000
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 06, 2024
Observation date: Jan 28, 2024
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 02, 2024
Observation date: Jan 19, 2024
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Oaxaca, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jan 30, 2024
Observation date: Feb 24, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 23, 2023
Observation date: Nov 16, 2019
Submitted by: Chio-Osuna
Region: Sinaloa, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 25, 2023
Observation date: Jun 25, 2017
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Feb 06, 2023
Observation date: Nov 08, 2022
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 18, 2022
Observation date: Nov 21, 2017
Submitted by: jartigas59
Region: San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 14, 2022
Observation date: Jun 01, 2017
Submitted by: cvpis4me
Region:
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Jan 02, 2021
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 08, 2021
Observation date: Oct 29, 2020
Submitted by: gpstewart
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 01, 2021
Observation date: Nov 08, 2020
Submitted by: bjones7777
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 22, 2020
Observation date: Feb 15, 2019
Submitted by: rob77897@gmail.com
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 18, 2020
Observation date: Jan 05, 2020
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 20, 2020
Observation date: Nov 07, 2018
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 05, 2019
Observation date: Mar 27, 2019
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 28, 2019
Observation date: Nov 05, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 27, 2018
Observation date: Nov 04, 2018
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 23, 2018
Observation date: Nov 03, 2018
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 21, 2018
Observation date: Jan 23, 2016
Submitted by: rogerashton
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 18, 2018
Observation date: Nov 11, 2017
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 12, 2018
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