Malachite
Siproeta stelenes (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is dark brown to black with translucent whitish green or yellow-green patches. Underside is orange-brown with greenish patches. Dry season (winter) form is larger and the hindwing underside has smudged black marks inside the orange marginal band; wet season (summer) form is smaller and has silver marks instead of black smudges.
Wing Span: 3 1/4 - 4 inches (8.3 - 10.1 cm).
Life History: Males perch on shrubs in forest or orchard openings and sometimes patrol for females with a slow, floating flight. Adults roost together under the leaves of low shrubs. Eggs are laid singly on host plant leaves, which caterpillars eat and rest beneath.
Flight: Two to three broods during the summer; one brood of the winter form hibernates.
Caterpillar Hosts: Cafetin (Blechum brownei) and ruellia (Ruellia coccinea) in the family Acanthaceae.
Adult Food: Rotting fruit. Occasionally feeds on bird droppings and nectar from flowers of lianas, trees, and sometimes herbaceous plants. Malachites may feed all day long and may fly to flowers 38 feet high in the canopy.
Habitat: Mango, citrus, and avocado orchards in Florida; subtropical evergreen or semideciduous forests in Central America.
Range: Brazil north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to southern Florida and South Texas. A rare stray into Kansas. Comments: The southern Florida populations have become established since the 1960s; presumably having emigrated from Cuba.
Conservation: Monitor United States populations.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 176 verified sightings
Observation date: Dec 01, 2012
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 13, 2023
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: Zsigmk
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 14, 2023
Observation date: Nov 19, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: El Salvador
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 26, 2023
Observation date: Nov 19, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: El Salvador
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 26, 2023
Observation date: Feb 12, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: El Salvador
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 14, 2023
Observation date: Feb 04, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: El Salvador
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 14, 2023
Observation date: Feb 19, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Ana, El Salvador
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 14, 2023
Observation date: Jan 16, 2023
Submitted by: Christine Harwood
Region: Cayo District, Belize
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 11, 2023
Observation date: Dec 10, 2022
Submitted by: pollinatives
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 17, 2023
Observation date: Mar 09, 2023
Submitted by: Zsigmk
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 10, 2023
Observation date: Dec 13, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Feb 24, 2019
Submitted by: David F Smith
Region: Sinaloa, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 25, 2023
Observation date: Sep 08, 2021
Submitted by: isigner
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 25, 2023
Observation date: Oct 13, 2020
Submitted by: mstackhouse
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 25, 2023
Observation date: Feb 03, 2021
Submitted by: david bershad
Region: Jalisco, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 25, 2023
Observation date: Jan 27, 2023
Submitted by: M0th2ng3l789123
Region: San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jan 30, 2023
Observation date: Nov 11, 2022
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Puerto Rico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jan 26, 2023
Observation date: Jan 12, 2022
Submitted by: David F Smith
Region: Oaxaca, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jan 26, 2023
Observation date: Jul 28, 2019
Submitted by: amilani
Region: Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jan 26, 2023
Observation date: Dec 25, 2022
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jan 19, 2023
Observation date: Nov 16, 2019
Submitted by: David F Smith
Region: Sonora, Mexico
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2022
Submitted by: Rosa Ruperto
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Dec 01, 2022
Observation date: Jun 28, 2017
Submitted by: FineArtGuy
Region: Puerto Rico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 23, 2022
Observation date: Feb 10, 2019
Submitted by: marly949
Region: Puerto Rico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 23, 2022
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