Catonephele numilia

Grecian Shoemaker

Basic Information

General information

Family: “Nymphalidae”
Sub Family: “Biblidinae”
Estimated Lifespan 26 Days

Garden Specific Information

Estimated Number In Flight: 7
Total Number of Pupae Received: 4414
First Flown On: 12/16/02
Last Flown On: 12/12/24

Species Range:

  • “NorthAmerica” “SouthAmerica”

Host plants:

  • Larvae are known to feed on Alchornea costaricensis and A. latifolia; both are woody species known to have medicinal properties.

Food Source

Adults use rotting fruit and tree sap as their primary nutrient source.

Etymology Of Name

The origin of the genus and species of Catonephele numilia is currently unknown.

Habitat

Adults spend the majority of their time in wet forest habitats.

Life history

Males perch on vegetation and wait for receptive females to pass. After mating, females spend the warmest parts of the day cruising waterways and paths looking for host plants to lay their eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the host plant until they are ready to form their chrysalides.

Flights

There are multiple generations each year, making it possible to find adults all year round.

Fun Facts

All the species found in the genus Catonephele are sexually dimorphic, which means the males and females of a species look remarkably different from each other.