Identification: Forewings elongate. Male bright orange above and below; upperside of hindwing with narrow black border on outer margin. Female duller orange, with more black markings above. Life history: Males patrol all day for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on new growth; caterpillars feed on leaves. Adults forage along a set route of nectar sources each day in a behavior known as "trap-lining". Flight: Throughout the year in southern Florida and South Texas, strays to the north in summer. Caterpillar hosts: Passion-vines including Passiflora lutea in Texas. Adult food: Nectar from flowers including lantana and shepherd's needle; probably others. Habitat: Subtropical hammock openings and edges, and nearby fields. Range: Resident in Brazil north through Central America, Mexico, West Indies, peninsular Florida, and South Texas. Strays north to eastern Nebraska.
Conservation: Not usually required, but habitat in South Texas is limited. The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Management needs: None reported.*