Turk's-cap White-Skipper (Heliopetes macaira [Reakirt])
Wing span: 1 1/4 - 1 3/8 inches (3.2 - 3.5 cm).
Identification: Upperside is white; forewing outer margin and apex are dark. Dark markings of female are wider and wing bases are gray. Underside hindwing of both sexes has a diffuse pattern and an olive brown band at the outer margin.
Life history: Females lay eggs on twigs and buds of the host plant. Caterpillars feed on young leaves, flowers, and fruits. Young caterpillars hide in cracks on the host plant, while older ones live in shelters made of leaves.
Flight: Many broods from April-November in South Texas.
Caterpillar hosts: Turk's-cap (Malvaviscus drummondii) in the mallow family (Malvaceae).
Adult food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Subtropical forest edges and openings, thorn-scrub, weedy areas, and brush.
Range: South Texas south through Central America to Paraguay.
