If you’ve been to SOAR lately, you’ve probably seen the rusty-tipped page butterfly fluttering through the pavilion. As the name suggests, these butterflies have rusty orange tips on the top of their front wings, and the rest of the wings are black except for the cream stripe that separates the two other colors. These colors are an important part of the rusty-tipped page’s survival. To learn why, read the fun facts below before coming to the Garden to seeg them up-close and personal at SOAR.
Fun Facts:
- Ruty-tipped pages are closely related to malachite butterflies. While they look very different as adults, their chrysalids are almost identical.
- They feed on the nectar of plants like lantana as well as rotting fruit.
- In nature, they can be found near water in tropical habitats.
- Their wingspan is 2.5 – 3 inches wide.
- It’s called a rusty-tipped page because of the rust color on the tips of its front wings.
- The coloring of the rusty-tipped page is thought to be a warning to potential predators that the butterflies are poisonous and not worth eating.
- The rusty-tipped page is considered a “New World Butterfly” meaning that it is primarily found in the Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas.
To visit SOAR and see the rusty-tipped page in person, click here.
