Tropical Leafwing (Anaea troglodyta)
Wing span: 2 1/4 - 3 1/16 inches (5.7 - 7.8 cm).
Identification: Underside looks like a dead leaf.
Life history: Adults are rapid, strong fliers and often perch high in trees. Males perch on branches 6-10 feet above the ground to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly on the host plant; caterpillars eat leaves. Young caterpillars use a leaf vein as a perch; older caterpillars rest in rolled-up leaves.
Flight: The dry season form flies from September-April; the wet season form from April-September.
Caterpillar hosts: Various Croton species in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae).
Adult food: Sap, dung, and decaying fruit.
Habitat: Tropical forest edges, trails, streamsides.
Range: Northwest Costa Rica north to Mexico. Wanders occasionally to California, Arizona, Kansas, and South Texas.
