Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Common Mestra, 1 by TexasPuddyPrint

TexasPuddyPrint wrote:
Linda,

Those are gorgeous little butterflies. Such an unusual color...I just love that orange on the wings. I don't know why they are called Common Mestra when they really aren't common at all.

However, they lived up to their name back in November when I saw at least two hundred at the ranch during a walk around the back field. There must have been hatching broods because there were fresh ones everywhere I looked.

I've gone back several times trying to find their larval host, tragia, but haven't run into it yet (then again, considering it's noseburn, guess not running into it can be a good thing!)

There has to be lots of it growing out at the ranch because every time I go there I see these butterflies.

It's hard to get photos of them on a sunny day because the camera makes the white looked washed out.

Here's one I got on a cloudy day...this butterfly was very cooperative and stayed put while I took a gazillion photos of it :o)

~ Cat