| Smyrna blomfildia | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Smyrna |
| Species: | S. blomfildia |
| Binomial name | |
| Smyrna blomfildia | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Smyrna blomfildia, the Blomfild's beauty, is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.
Blomfild's beauty can be found from south Texas and Mexico to Peru through Central America. These butterflies live in tropical forests [2] at an elevation of 0–1,200 metres (0–3,937 ft) above sea level. [3]
Smyrna blomfildia has a wingspan of about 75–90 millimetres (3.0–3.5 in). The basic color of the wings is red orange in males, brown in females. The upperside of the forewings show a black apex with three white spots. The underside of hindwings has brown and tan wavy markings with a few submarginal spots. [4]
The larvae are black, with a bright orange head and strong spines along the white sides. [5] They feed on Urticaceae ( Urticastrum , Urrera baccifera ), [2] while adults feed on rotting fruits. Males of these butterflies are usually seen in large aggregations imbibing mineralized moisture. [3]
The female Smyrna blomfildia will lay its eggs all throughout the plant. This offspring will eventually build frass chains that serve as their resting spot.