range. Because of their dense populations, conservation is typically not needed. Food resources Caterpillars In Florida, the caterpillar live and feed on coinvine (Dalbergia ecastophyllum) and Powder-puff (Calliandra), both members of the pea family (Fabaceae). They can also be found on other plants, including those of the genera Cassia, Entada, and Callichamys. In Costa Rica, the caterpillars also feed on the woody vine Xylophragma seemannianum. There are two forms of larvae which are found preferentially on different plant hosts. Adults Adult diet Adult statira sulphur feed on the nectar of flowers. They preferentially feed from red-orange colored flowers, such as the scarlet bush and lantana. Males also drink from mud puddles. Pollination When feeding on the nectar of red flowers, statira sulphur serve as important pollinators. For example, they help to pollinate Mandevilla tenuifolia, a pink flowering herb that is pollinated only by butterflies, mainly of the families Nymphalidae and Pieridae (the family of statira sulphur). Social behavior Caterpillars Caterpillars often form very large populations, which then damages their host plants. They may cluster into dense populations along with other species to take advantage of the safety that comes with large numbers. The diversity of caterpillar species in the area can help divert predators to other species. Further, the excess of caterpillars can help prevent the majority from being eaten. Adults Male statira sulphur are often found in large groups which can be as dense as 100 butterflies within a square foot. They can be found in species-specific groups, or found intermixed with other similarly colored species, including those of genera Rhabdodryas, Phoebis, and Protesilaus. Life cycle Oviposition Female statira sulphur lay their eggs singly on the small, young leaves of host plants. There are usually two or three broods per year. The first is laid at the start of the rainy season, when food is most abundant and predators are the least intense. After maturation, the adult butterflies migrate to lay the second brood of the year in wetter regions. Caterpillars Because there are two forms of caterpillars which are found on different host plants, it is possible that there are two subspecies. The larvae which feed on Leguminosae are orange and green with a dark blue band and an orange head. The larval form which feeds on Bignoniacae is pale green with a thin yellow longitudinal stripe and a dark green head. Pupa When the species pupates, they