Catonephele numilia, the blue-frosted banner, blue-frosted Catone, Grecian shoemaker or stoplight Catone, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae found in Central and South America.
This butterfly usually flies along the ground and close to the ripe fruits and flowers. It can live a month. Adults feed on rotten fruits, while caterpillars feed on Alchornea species (family Euphorbiaceae).
Catonephele numilia can be found in most of Central and South America.
Larvae are known to feed on Alchornea costaricensis and A. latifolia; both are woody species known to have medicinal properties.
Estimated Lifespan 26 Days.
Adults use rotting fruit and tree sap as their primary nutrient source.
The origin of the genus and species of Catonephele numilia is currently unknown.
Adults spend the majority of their time in wet forest habitats.
Males perch on vegetation and wait for receptive females to pass. After mating, females spend the warmest parts of the day cruising waterways and paths looking for host plants to lay their eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the host plant until they are ready to form their chrysalides.
There are multiple generations each year, making it possible to find adults all year round.
All the species found in the genus Catonephele are sexually dimorphic, which means the males and females of a species look remarkably different from each other.
