Spend a moment in our Butterfly Rainforest with Ryan talking about the Cream-spotted tigerwing, Tithorea tarricina, from Central and South America. This species is toxic, with distinct markings to let predators know not to eat them. They share similar markings with other species that are also toxic. Their pupae are a striking gold color

You’ll see these butterflies in our exhibit with Golden longwings, which resemble them closely, as well as several other species in the same family sunbathing on foliage together.

Transcript

Hello. Welcome to the Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History. My name is Ryan and today we’ll be releasing a butterfly called the Cream-spotted tigerwing. It hails from Central and South America, and if it looks familiar as I bring it out, this orange and black design, it’s because it shares its pattern with another butterfly we have here at the Butterfly Rainforest called the Golden longwing.

These two butterflies are both toxic. And you know they’re toxic if they have both, both sides of their wings look very similar, in this case orange and black. They open up their wings in the aviary they look exactly the same on inside and out. Now, so, this one also is well-known for its pupa. The pupa is this gaudy, bright gold color.

We’re going to go ahead and leave this butterfly, let it go, and stop it there. We hope you all enjoyed and have a great rest of the day. Thank you.


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Video by Ryan Fessenden; Produced by Radha Krueger