Atala
Eumaeus atala (Poey, 1832)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: Abdomen red-orange. Upperside of male wings soft black with iridescent green overlay and markings; female has blue iridescence at basal areas. Underside dull black, hindwing with large red-orange spot and 3 rows of irregular iridescent gold spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/2 - 2 inches (3.8 - 5.1 cm).
Life History: Eggs are laid in groups on upperside of leaf tips. Caterpillars feed in groups out in the open.
Flight: Many flights throughout the year, but most common in early summer.
Caterpillar Hosts: Coontie (Zamia pumila), a shrubby, fernlike native cycad of Florida and the Bahamas; several other introduced plants of the family Cycadaceae.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including lantana, periwinkle, shepherd's needle, and wild coffee.
Habitat: Subtropical shady hammocks and neighboring open areas; gardens with ornamental cycads.
Range: Southeastern Florida and the Keys, the Bahamas, and Cuba.
Conservation: Eumaeus atala florida is ranked endangered by the State of Florida; may recolonize from the Bahamas. Subspecies florida has The Nature Conservancy rank of T3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
NCGR:
Management Needs: Prevent destruction of habitats with Coontie. Control of caterpillars on ornamental cycads is sometimes necessary. Reintroduce Coontie to the Florida Keys.
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 152 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/atala_cat_on_coontie.jpg?itok=FKElHSYE)
Observation date: Aug 14, 2024
Submitted by: Tatiana Staats
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 14, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7680.jpeg?itok=qE7ZdgQC)
Observation date: Aug 07, 2024
Submitted by: kericson
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_8309-2.jpg?itok=Su-fV3ts)
Observation date: Jun 19, 2024
Submitted by: GH16112
Region: Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 20, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20240322_185901.jpg?itok=qi3X_iR8)
Observation date: Mar 22, 2024
Submitted by: David B
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 24, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1070156.jpg?itok=yjXd_oCt)
Observation date: Feb 11, 2024
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_2480.jpeg?itok=46f54ARt)
Observation date: Feb 07, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 07, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/atala_5.jpg?itok=dFoXV72b)
Observation date: Feb 04, 2024
Submitted by: smnelson
Region: Manatee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 05, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20240105223533.jpg?itok=c1QZ84qT)
Observation date: Jan 05, 2024
Submitted by: lello
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 07, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0427_12.jpg?itok=hU_7iZqW)
Observation date: Nov 11, 2023
Submitted by: dsperanza
Region: St. Lucie County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 25, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/8125e975-aab4-40ee-b0df-7e751b6902ca.jpeg?itok=N6usDrnJ)
Observation date: Nov 19, 2023
Submitted by: kericson
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 20, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/screenshot_20231023-131012_gallery.jpg?itok=8JBFjmKL)
Observation date: Oct 23, 2023
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 24, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20231023_142346.jpg?itok=TGwhmFUp)
Observation date: Oct 23, 2023
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 24, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/atala_1.jpg?itok=63D2yPv8)
Observation date: Sep 07, 2019
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 28, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230803_1438152.jpg?itok=7jhxo4L9)
Observation date: Aug 07, 2023
Submitted by: jramil1267@hotm...
Region: Martin County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230715_182744.jpg?itok=T7ZgJnE0)
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: ggarcia
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 19, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/e17ee559-1315-420e-8503-133911bac742.jpeg?itok=xOtD1sgz)
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: Cassiescheerer
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 19, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/atala_butterfly_0.jpg?itok=pveF56g2)
Observation date: Jul 14, 2023
Submitted by: Bixia
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 14, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0180_4.jpg?itok=5aOwmCCa)
Observation date: Jul 07, 2023
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 08, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/screenshot_20230606-130302_messages.jpg?itok=JrwrAkjH)
Observation date: Jun 04, 2023
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 06, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0284.jpeg?itok=w9aDuwyb)
Observation date: May 21, 2023
Submitted by: Tatiana87
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 21, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/atala_aka_eumaeus_atala_rookery_bay_environmental_learning_center_april_4_2023_4.jpg?itok=KmJT6myl)
Observation date: Apr 04, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 17, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/cf6d5a1c-2067-4f39-bd7c-991abe306afd.jpeg?itok=5XJv-WZ7)
Observation date: Feb 10, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 16, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/atala_hairstreak_miami_july_24.png?itok=wtboCIiD)
Observation date: Jul 24, 2022
Submitted by: bkbrott
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 16, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7644_1_1_1_1.jpg?itok=3Y03l1Ue)
Observation date: Feb 09, 2023
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 10, 2023
- 1 of 7
- next ›