About Mestra amymone (Ménétriés, 1857)
Mestra is a genus of nymphalid butterflies. The genus currently contains one confirmed species, Mestra dorcas, commonly known as the Jamaican mestra, which ranges from southern North America to South America. A second potential species, Mestra cana, the St Lucia mestra found in the Lesser Antilles, may instead be a misidentification. This group of butterflies has a wingspan of 35 to 50 millimeters. In southern Texas, adult butterflies are active year-round, and reach their highest numbers between June and November. Adults have been documented feeding on nectar from Lantana flowers. Caterpillar larvae feed on Tragia neptifolia, a name that may itself be a misspelling of Tragia nepetifolia.
