South Florida Insects

Habitat(s): Warm, open, weedy areas where water is abundant
Food: Caterpillar-water hyssop, butterfly-white hysso, wild Petunias, and more
Lifespan: Adult butterfly 1 to 4 months in the wild
Size: 2 to 3 inches wingspan
Fun Fact: Common name is from the black spots on the forewings and hindwings which look like peacock eye spots

Habitat(s): Wherever milkweeds grow — urban and suburban gardens, meadows, fields, marshes, deserts, forest edges
Food: Caterpillar-Milkweed Butterfly-Butterfly Bush, Lantana, Zinnia
Lifespan: Egg: 4 to 6 days; caterpillar (larval) 2 to 3 weeks; chrysalis (pupil) 5 to 15 days; Adult butterfly 1 to 3 months in the wild
Size: 3 to 4 inch wingspan
Fun Fact: Similar in appearance to Monarch and prefer milkweed also

Habitat(s): Open woodlands, yards, parks, grasslands around wetlands
Food: Caterpillars feed exclusively on passionflower vine; butterflies feed on nectar
Lifespan: 14 to 27 days in the wild
Size: 2 to 3-1/2 inch wingspan
Fun Fact: The caterpillars absorb the toxins on the passionflower vine making them taste bad to predators.

Habitat(s): Where milkweed grows and
Food: Caterpillar-Milkweed Butterfly-variety of nectar plants
Lifespan: Butterfly: 2 to 6 weeks in the wild* after spending 8 to 12 days in their cocoon
Size: 3-1/2 to 4 inch wingspan
Fun Fact: *generations born at the end of summer fly back to Central and South America where they stay until the following spring.

Habitat(s): Near slow-moving freshwater or woodland’s vegetation
Food: Mosquitoes, flies, and gnats
Lifespan: Up to 6 months in the wild
Size: Around 1-1/2 inches long
Fun Fact: They perch on the tips of plants moving in the wind like a pennant.