South Florida Butterflies

South Florida Butterflies


  • South Florida Butterflies

Published Date

  • published 1941


"A very common one is the zebra, a smart-looking fellow with a
black background and with yellow bare going across the wings. Both
upper and lower wings are the same color.

"We must not forget our Florida admiral, a large butterfly with
soft brown background and lovely cream markings on both fore and back

"The brightest of all Florida butterflies is one named Theola
moesites, a very charming small one. The color of the entire surface of
the top wing is a brilliant shiny purple. The under wings of the Theola
are green so than when resting it looks like a tiny green leaf.

"Here in Miami, we have what is called the 'rarest butterfly in all
of the world.' This species was found deep in our Everglades. Its wings
are soft-brown in color, with markings of deep orange. Our 'butterfly
lady' raised some of these butterflies from eggs which she discovered on
the leaves of plants in the Everglades. When the caterpillar went to the
chrysalis, it took two years before it awoke form fairy sleep and when it
came forth into the sunshine it was a most beautiful butterfly. It is
named Papilio ponceanus because its birthday is during the months when
our Poinciana trees are a blaze of color."