Diet

• Caterpillars: Feed primarily on vines in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae).

• The caterpillars are gregarious, with young larvae feeding together on new leaves and shoots. Older caterpillars become strikingly black with yellow or golden markings and numerous branched spines.

• Adults: Feed mainly on rotting fruit and other fermenting plant material, rather than relying heavily on flower nectar.

Range

• The Red Cracker has a broad Neotropical distribution extending from Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean to northern South America, the Amazon basin, and southward to Argentina.

• It occurs in the Zihua area, particularly where tropical woodland, forest edges, and Dalechampia vines are present.

Habitat

• Primarily inhabits tropical forest edges, clearings, secondary woodland, wooded pastures, and roadsides bordered by forest.

• It can occur from near sea level to approximately 1,500 m, although it is especially characteristic of warm lowland and foothill environments.

• Adults have an unusual habit of settling on tree trunks with their wings held completely open and the head pointing downward. Their mottled forewings blend remarkably well with bark, making them surprisingly difficult to see until they suddenly take flight.

Description

• A medium-to-large cracker with a wingspan of approximately 72–86 mm.

• The upper surface is predominantly dark gray-brown to black, heavily marbled with blue, giving the wings a striking but cryptic appearance.

• A broad white transverse band crosses the forewing, extending from the leading edge toward the outer corner. This is one of the easiest ways to recognize the species.

• The hindwing is largely dark above but shows a conspicuous brick-red to reddish-orange underside, which becomes especially apparent when the butterfly is disturbed or in flight.

• The underside of the forewing retains the broad pale band, while the hindwing is predominantly brick red with darker veins and markings.

• Males and females are broadly similar in appearance.

• The caterpillars are quite different from the adults: they are predominantly black with golden or yellow markings and numerous prominent spines.