Identification
The adult glasswing butterfly can be identified by its transparent wings with opaque, dark brown borders tinted with red or orange. Their bodies are a dark brown color. The butterflies are 1.1 to 1.2 inches in length (like the US quarter coin) and have a wingspan of 2.2 to 2.4 inches. The wings seem to have a white brush stroke through the upper part.
The transparency is caused because it lacks the scales and pigments found in other butterflies.
Habitat
Central and northern regions of South America with sightings as far north as Texas and as far south as Chile. This butterfly thrives in the tropical conditions of the rainforests in the Central and South American countries. They can be spotted year round pretty much.
Nesting
Eggs are typically laid on plants of the nightshade family of plants, which serves as a food source for later life stages.
The caterpillars of the glasswing butterfly have green bodies with bright purple and red stripes. They are found on the host plants.
The larvae are cylindrical in shape with filaments that look like barbs sticking out of them.
These animals are hard to spot even when the caterpillars are undergoing metamorphosis: they transform into small pupae with a chrome-silver color that masks them as, perhaps, water glistening in droplets on stems. These pupae look like small mirrors, which is why they are called espejitos in Costa Rica.
Mating
In order to attract females, male butterflies form leks (groups of male animals gathered to engage in competitive displays and courtship rituals to entice visiting females which are surveying prospective partners to mate with.). They gather in shaded areas of the rainforest and competitively display themselves in order to attract mates.
Predators
Birds are the most common predator. Both the caterpillars and adults are toxic due to what they each consume. They utilize transparency to hide from predators, especially while in flight, vs camouflage or mimicry which is more typical amongst butterflies and moths.
Diet
Poisonous plants of the nightshade family provide the best source of nutrition for the caterpillar
The adult butterfly feeds mainly on the nectar of the flowers of the genus Lantana, which includes 150 species of perennial flowering plants.
Fun Facts
While its wings appear delicate, the butterfly is able to carry up to 40 times its own weight.
The glasswing butterfly is migratory and travels up to 12 miles per day at speeds of up to 8 miles per hour.