Recent Sighting of a Caribbean Daggerwing (Marpesia eleuchea)

On July 20th, 2022, one of our Miami Blue Chapter board members Susan Kolterman, was shooting at the JPCRSP (John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park) and submitted the following email after sending photos to Marc Minno.

“Along with seeing many bees and butterflies nectaring on the white ironwood by the WTT (Wild Tamarind Trail), I observed what I thought was a tiny ruddy daggerwing until I got home and looked at it a little closer. It looked very much like the pix online that I saw of a Cuban daggerwing so I sent the pictures off to Marc Minno and got this response-”

Marc Minno’s response:

Dear Susan,

Congratulations!  That is a Caribbean Daggerwing (Marpesia eleuchea).   Now there are 4 different subspecies of that butterfly in the Caribbean.  Your photos seem to fit the Bahamian subspecies best (Marpesia eleuchea bahamensis) which is a new butterfly record for Florida.  Very nice find and I think also a new record for Key Largo.  Can I publish your photos with a note about this in the Lepidopterists’ Society newsletter?

The Florida Purplewing is a variable species.  Mostly you see the regular gray or lightly patterned forms, but occasionally there is the reddish form and the one with the pale streak thru the underside of the hindwing that you sent as well.

Marc

How cool is that? I didn’t get very good pictures because it was behind a potato tree leaf backed behind thick foliage but hear it is.

Cheers!

Susan

[click photos below to enlarge, ESC to close]

Caribbean Daggerwing

Florida Purplewing