“ What are the red and yellowish caterpillar corrode my coontie palm ? ! ”
They are the larvae of the formerly rare Atala butterfly !
My niece and nephew implant some butterfly stroke plants at my momma ’s place in Ft . Lauderdale .
While doing so , they discovered some very strange caterpillars eat on Grandma ’s coontie plant :
My sister did some investigation and discovered that these bright red and jaundiced caterpillars on the coontie were the larvae of the Atala butterfly stroke , which was once thought extinct .
The Atala Butterfly Makes a Comeback
Richard Levine in Entomology Todayshares the news report :
“ Back in 1888 , the Atala butterfly was so numerous that it was called “ the most conspicuous insect ” in South Florida , but half a century later , in the 1950s , it was think to be “ probably nonextant . ” Fortunately , the butterfly was actually hiding late in the remaining pine rocklands and tropical mound of coastal southeastern Florida , where its master of ceremonies plant still remained .
The Atala butterfly ( Eumaeus atala ) relies on a plant send for coontie ( Zamia integrifolia ) in the same way that sovereign butterflies rely on milkweed metal money . Atala females place their ball on coontie , the only aboriginal cycad in North America — and only on coontie ( or on other cycad play to South Florida as ornamental flora ) — and after the ball think of , the Caterpillar munch on the coontie leaves .
alas for the butterfly , the great unwashed also wish Seminole bread . Native Americans and European settler harvested the roots as a reference of starch that was adequate to of withstanding the high humidness and temperatures of Florida . Although the coontie plant life hold back numerous neurotoxins , they are water - soluble and the plant was heavily utilized as a stamp - proof harvest . It was exploit to the extent that it was at the same time sell during the Indian - American Wars to both the Indians and the U.S. Army , and it was also sold to European market as gourmet flour .
antecedently , so much Seminole bread develop along the New River in Fort Lauderdale that the Indians called it the “ Coontie Hatchee , ” think the “ the Coontie River . ” But by the 1920s , all of the coontie flora within a reasonable distance had been glean .
The butterfly , of class , become down with the plant .
Luckily , the University of Florida ’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiveristy experience donate preserved specimen of Atala butterfly , which volunteer clues about them . The specimens had been collected in pine rockland habitat in southeast Florida ( now part of the Everglades National Park ) , so scientist know for sure that they once lived there . They also knew that some coontie plants were still growing there .
In 1979 , a local naturalist “ discovered ” an Atala butterfly stroke colony on one of the barrier island along the coast of Miami , and that ’s when the recovery began . ”
wondrous !
Propagating Coontie Palm
After looking up the Atala butterfly , I think back my old friendGary Paulwho once showed a few preserve specimens to me . He was germinating coontie palm ( it ’s not really a ribbon , but I digress ) seeds on his back porch . When I reckon up distribute Florida arrowroot to see if there was a vegetal method acting as well , I foundthis excellent pdf with photo from BrowardButterflies.org .
If you want to get pretty coontie , the Atala caterpillars are hit it less and less potential in South Florida as their population grows . However , if you want to grow pretty butterflies , you ’re in destiny . Plant Seminole bread and they will come !
This one in my parents ’ G has been there for years , though the caterpillars are new .
What a fun discovery to see the Atala caterpillars go far . Hopefully all the new nectar works will keep the butterfly stroke hang around the yard .
My sister is now pass around Florida arrowroot palm to plant in her own yard .
Ca n’t wait to see all the butterflies showing up . Good business , kids !
