🔍 Gray Cracker | Hamadryas februa 🦋
📍 Grecia, Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷
💬 The Gray Cracker is one of the few butterflies in the world that makes an audible cracking sound — males snap their wings together mid-flight to defend territory and attract mates!
Fauna
Gray Cracker | Hamadryas februa
Basic ID
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Coloration
Gray and white mottled wings with intricate eyespot markings, cryptic patterning
Lifespan
2–4 weeks (adult stage)
Size
Length
5–7 cm (body); wingspan 6–8 cm
Weight
less than 1 g
Wingspan
6–8 cm
Habitat & Behavior
Native Range
Mexico to Peru and Venezuela
Habitat Type
Tropical and subtropical forests, forest edges, river margins
Diet
Rotting fruit, tree sap, animal dung
Activity Pattern
Diurnal
Sources: IUCN Red List · Encyclopedia of Life · GBIF · Catalogue of Life