The Atala Butterfly

This is an interesting article from the University of Florida about the relationship between the Atala butterfly and its host plant, Florida Coontie http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg347.  At the nursery we have a population of the Atala Butterflies, and the adults can be seen landing on the Sweet Almond flowers (Aloysia virgata) and Florida Fiddlewood flowers (Citharexylum spinosum) for nectar, and laying its eggs on the many Florida Coontie (Zamia integrifolia) on the property.

Citharexylum spinosum (Fiddlewood)

Aloysia virgata (Sweet Almond)

Aloysia virgata (Sweet Almond)

Eumaeus atala larvae on Zamia pumila (Atala Butterfly larvae on Coontie)

Eumaeus atala chrysalis on Zamia pumila (Atala Butterfly chrysalis on Florida Coontie)

Eumaeus atala (Adult Atala Butterfly)