google-play-not-available-title

google-play-not-available-text

Montezuma's Cattleheart

Parides montezuma
Local Pest Control
Parides montezuma
Mobile App
An insect specialist
right in your pocket
Download from AppStoreDownload from GooglePlayDownload from AppStore
Download from AppStore

Summary

Parides montezuma, the Montezuma's cattleheart, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is native to the Americas.

Montezuma's Cattleheart

Parides montezuma
Local Pest Control

Tags

harmless

Scientific classification

kingdom: Animalia
phylum: Arthropoda
class: Insecta
order: Lepidoptera
family: Papilionidae
genus: Parides

People often ask

What does a montezuma's cattleheart eat?
What plant attracts montezuma's cattleheart?
Is the montezuma's cattleheart poisonous?

Description

The upperside of the wings is black, without a band and with one row of red crescents along the hindwing margin. The underside of the wings is almost the same as the upperside. A full description is provided by Rothschild, W. and Jordan, K. (1906)

Distribution and habitat

P. montezuma is found in dry forests from Mexico to Costa Rica, occurring from sea level to 700 m. It is rare in Costa Rica, being more common northward. It is not threatened.

Host plants

Parides montezuma is a member of the ascanius species group ("Fringe-spots white. Hindwing with submarginal spots and usnally also diseal spots or dots, or a discal band ;mostly with tail") A quadrate whitish spot in space 2 of the forewings is quite peculiar of the ascanius group The members are - Aristolochia acanthophylla - Aristolochia foetida – Jalisco Dutchman's pipe - Aristolochia grandiflora – pelican flower - Aristolochia micrantha - Aristolochia orbicularis - Parides agavus (Drury, 1782) - Parides alopius (Godman & Salvin, [1890]) - Parides ascanius (Cramer, [1775]) - Parides bunichus (Hübner, [1821]) - Parides gundlachianus (C. & R. Felder, 1864) - Parides montezuma (Westwood, 1842) - Parides phalaecus (Hewitson, 1869) - Parides photinus (Doubleday, 1844) - Parides proneus (Hübner, [1831])

Etymology

The specific epithet honours the Aztec king Montezuma.