Crackers butterfly males are known to make a "crackling" sound as they dart out at passing insects and people.
The caterpillars of the Cracker butterfly are hosted by, and live and dine in the Dalechampia vines, and the herbs of Tragia in the family Euphorbiacae.
Adult butterflies dine on tree sap and rotting fruit.
Crackers range from Argentina north through Central America to Mexico, with some straying as far north as the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas.
Cracker butterflies populations appear to be globally secure.
These butterflies have the habit of resting on tree trunks with their heads down, and their wings spread.
They are difficult to photograph, as they tend to prefer to live 10 m or more above the ground.
They live at elevations from sea level to 1200 m.
Avg. Wingspan: 7 - 8.6 cm / 2 3/4 - 3 3/8 "
Diet: adults feed on rotting fruit, tree sap and dung instead of nectar.
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta, Order: Lepidoptera
*There are thought to be 20 distinct species of Cracker butterflies, with 9 species being found in Costa Rica alone.
* Being Brush-footed butterflies, Gray Crackers have a short pair of fore legs that are used to taste food, and two pairs of longer rear legs that are used for propulsion.
The single biggest threat to butterfly survival is habitat destruction!!
