Ruddy Daggerwing
Marpesia petreus (Cramer, 1776)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Cyrestinae
Tribe: Cyrestini
Identification: Tip of forewing is elongated. Hindwing has long dagger-like tails. Upperside is orange with 3 thin black lines. Underside is mottled brown and black, resembling a dead leaf.
Wing Span: 2 3/4 - 3 3/4 inches (7 - 9.5 cm).
Life History: To watch for females, males perch 15-30 feet above ground on sunlit trees.
Flight: Most of the year in Florida, but are most common from May-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Common fig (Ficus carica) and wild banyan tree (F. citrifolia) in the fig family (Moraceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from giant milkweed in Florida; Cordia, Casearia, Lantana, and Mikania in the tropics.
Habitat: Tropical lowland forests and edges; hardwood hammocks.
Range: Brazil north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to southern Florida. Strays north to Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and South Texas.
Conservation: Not of conservation concern in Florida.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 192 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_3724_ruddy_daggerwing.jpg?itok=PjKoDLy-)
Observation date: Dec 04, 2021
Submitted by: brandonlloyd
Region: Jalisco, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 12, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ruddy_edison_3.jpg?itok=_NrjFzIs)
Observation date: May 16, 2022
Submitted by: Monarchspirit
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 18, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn3365_2.jpg?itok=g01VsTg9)
Observation date: Apr 19, 2022
Submitted by: sdgoebel
Region: Manatee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 24, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscf4208_0.jpg?itok=jO4nIus6)
Observation date: Apr 06, 2022
Submitted by: Siam2654
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 09, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/499236d5-31b7-4b58-a7d5-09b03080d399.jpeg?itok=UIfHMVus)
Observation date: Mar 16, 2022
Submitted by: Erik Alford
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 17, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/id_butterfly_1.jpg?itok=4BbPAgXa)
Observation date: Jan 31, 2022
Submitted by: rarluck@gmail.com
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 01, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/215081_724097442775_201402781_36560661_6099566_n.jpg?itok=yvtKLgdf)
Observation date: Jul 26, 2011
Submitted by: remojbardi
Region: El Salvador
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 23, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ruddy_daggerwing_marpesia_petreus_fl_palm_beach_county_-_green_cay_sept_8_2018.jpg?itok=jkj8ibIC)
Observation date: Sep 08, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 10, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ruddy_daggerwing_marpesia_petreus_fl_miami-dade_county_-_royal_palm_june_20_2017.jpg?itok=XssqWIYz)
Observation date: May 20, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 02, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2626_7.jpg?itok=Xr6SOS5g)
Observation date: Aug 23, 2021
Submitted by: timoleon
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 16, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20210927_131224.jpg?itok=B5dRMqIt)
Observation date: Sep 27, 2021
Submitted by: Lisbeth K
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 07, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/0af4127e-4fbe-4842-b56a-4f31472e5a48.jpeg?itok=igdx7L5V)
Observation date: Sep 15, 2021
Submitted by: Kabbott
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ruddy_daggerwing_marpesia_petreus_fl_miami-dade_county_-_castellow_hammock_july_12_2020a.jpg?itok=1FtF5rIW)
Observation date: Jul 12, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 26, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sig_butterfly_p1090556_2.jpg?itok=ko16WWbx)
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: campbell8300
Region: Texas, Randall County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 14, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_3519a.jpg?itok=062GEvac)
Observation date: Sep 23, 2019
Submitted by: Markus M
Region: Jalisco, Mexico
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Jul 21, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ruddy_daggerwing_butterly.jpg?itok=2loqBrqK)
Observation date: Jun 04, 2021
Submitted by: rgerbino
Region: Martin County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ruddy_d_-_cropped1_24_apr_2021.png?itok=pmujBY8O)
Observation date: Apr 24, 2021
Submitted by: Don Stillwaugh
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dag6_dvl.jpg?itok=zUjBLzEb)
Observation date: Oct 05, 2013
Submitted by: DVL
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 17, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn7154_0.jpg?itok=p-LnSiy2)
Observation date: Mar 17, 2021
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 21, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/083dacb1-c132-4ede-a502-adb35338a9bc.jpeg?itok=kZsPLN8Z)
Observation date: Sep 14, 2020
Submitted by: Alyssa Jordan
Region: Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 17, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn2016_1.jpg?itok=PMp1xuqp)
Observation date: Dec 27, 2020
Submitted by: amdurso
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 27, 2020
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_5242_0.jpg?itok=LWBhlNoP)
Observation date: Aug 25, 2020
Submitted by: Mike_56
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 06, 2020
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/f5d9db78-eccb-4734-aa6d-3d02fa648d03.jpeg?itok=Ff_38KEA)
Observation date: Jun 20, 2020
Submitted by: eroutside
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 20, 2020
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ruddy_daggerwing_butterfly_may_22_2020-0024.jpg?itok=KXSlbifI)
Observation date: May 22, 2020
Submitted by: CharlieDelray
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 23, 2020
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