What is an Atala butterfly?
What is an Atala butterfly?
The Atala butterfly ( Eumaeus atala) relies on a plant called coontie ( Zamia integrifolia) in the same way that monarch butterflies rely on milkweed species.
Where did South Florida’s atala butterflies come from?
In 1979, a local naturalist “discovered” an Atala butterfly colony on one of the barrier islands along the coast of Miami, and that’s when the recovery began. “As far as we know, every extant colony in South Florida originated from that colony,” said Sandy Koi, one of the co-authors.
Do Atala caterpillars lay eggs on Coontie?
Atala females lay their eggs on coontie, the only native cycad in North America — and only on coontie (or on other cycads brought to South Florida as ornamental plants) — and after the eggs hatch, the caterpillars munch on the coontie leaves. Unfortunately for the butterfly, people also like coontie.
What is Atala food?
The Atala butterfly was incredibly abundant, then nearly extinct, and now its numbers are high enough to annoy people as the larvae eat their expensive plants to the ground. On the other hand, many individuals and botanical gardens seek out this rare and beautiful butterfly for their gardens, so they plant and grow coontie as Atala food.
Atala butterfly, also known as coontie hairstreak or just atala, is an attractive species from Florida, some other parts of the United States and the Caribbean Islands. Their Florida population has been listed as endangered by the State of Florida, but re-colonizing attempts from the Bahaman population is yielding positive results.
Is coontie a good host plant for the rare Atala butterfly?
Its increased use in landscapes has encouraged the presence of the rare atala butterfly, which uses coontie as a larval host plant. Landscapers and homeowners can encourage either the plant or the butterfly by following the suggestions in this publication. Figure 1. Coonties are a desirable native plant for Florida landscapes.
What does a chrysalis look like when it first hatch?
Pale flesh colored when newly hatched; develops a striking bright red coloration with two rows of yellow dots on the back. During the warm seasons, the chrysalis is golden brown, marked with black spots, while in winter it is dark brown marked with black spots.
