Diaethria bacchis White patched Eighty-Eight
Description: Upper side Forewing is black with iridescent blue merging with the upper side of the Hindwing. There are a large white patch and a small white patch on the upperside Forewing. Underside of Forewing is tan with red markings; Hindwing is tan with brown and black outlined "88"Wing span: 1 5/8 - 1 7/8 inches (41 - 48 mm)
Life history: Not reported
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical forest glades.
Caterpillar hosts: Tropical plants in the elm and soapberry families.
Adult food: Rotting fruit and dung, nectar plants "lantana"
Range: Costa Rica north to Northeast and Central Mexico.
Note: The Eighty-eight Butterfly is one of a large number of Central and South American butterflies know collectively as "eighty-eights" because of their hind wing markings. Diaethria anna sometimes enters the Rio Grande Valley, but its appearance has not been officially recoded yet. The South American Eighty-eight Butterfly (D. clymena), seen in Florida, resembles the Eighty-eight Butterfly but has more red in the fore wing cell below, and thicker hind wing
Markings. This butterfly was puddling for minerals after a light rain, it stayed so long and posed for pictures, curbside at my home in "Joco".
"White patched Eighty-eight"
Astraptes fulgerator Two-barred Flasher
Description: Large, robust body, long triangular wings. Basically black above with brilliant metallic turquoise-blue scaling on head, body, and bases of wings. /Beyond blue, band of squarish, glassy, white spots crosses forewing, and series of minute white dots lies near forewing tip. Below, Forewing blue along basal costa, otherwise shades of brown, Hindwing has bright white patch along costa.Wingspan: 1 7/8- 2 3/8 "(48 - 60 cm)
Life History: Caterpillar velvetyu black with yellow bands on each segment and large rust-black head. Chrysalis blackish, covered with loose, whitish powder.
Habitat: Shady, shrubby places, roadsides, and canal banks in subtropical woodlands.
Caterpillar host: Chaste-tree (Vitex) is the host plant in Mexico.
Adult food: Flower nectar and bird droppings.
Range: Argentina north through Central America, Mexico with strays into the southern borders of Texas and New Mexico.
