The Atala is a spectacular and once-endangered butterfly of South Florida with iridescent blue-green spots on jet-black wings and a vivid red abdomen that advertises sequestered cycasin toxins from coontie palm. It was thought extinct by the 1960s due to habitat loss but has staged a remarkable recovery following the re-planting of coontie in gardens. Its aposematic coloration is one of the most striking of any North American butterfly.
Habitat
South Florida coastal hammocks, gardens with coontie
Diet
Larvae: coontie palm (Zamia integrifolia). Adults: nectar
How common
Rare
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