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Tiger Wing butterflies are subject to “Batesian Mimicry”, where a butterfly specie evolves to have the appearance of another “inedible” butterfly specie, thus protecting the butterfly from predation.
The Tiger Wing family complex experiences Mullerian Mimicry, where all species of the Tiger Wing family look alike, thus protecting all species of this family from predation.
One species of Tiger Wing, when its caterpillar is creating its chrysalis, creates one that appears a bright, shiny silver. Because the chrysalis is very reflective, it is an excellent camouflage, protecting it from predation.
Avg. Wingspan: 65 - 75 mm / 2.5 - 2.9 "
* Tiger Wing caterpillars are famous among lepidopterists as the "caterpillars that build chrome homes."
Diet: caterpillars feed on Prestonia acutifolia ( Apocynaceae ). These foodplants are highly toxic to birds and other small vertebrates, the chemicals within them are accumulated by the larvae, and passed on to the adult butterflies, rendering them highly distasteful to birds.
Diet: adults feed on bird droppings to increase the toxicity of the butterfly, and visit flowers including Chomelia, Hamelia and Psychotria, for their nectar.
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta, Order: Lepidoptera
* Being Brush-footed butterflies, Tigerwings 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!!
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