Bug FAQElf Butterfly
Microtia elva · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Nymphalidae
The elf butterfly, Microtia elva, is found in the southern United States and Central America. Its larvae feed on plants in the Acanthaceae family, such as Tetramerium.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The species is called Microtia elva, commonly known as the elf.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives in regions of the southern United States and Central America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae eat Tetramerium and other Acanthaceae species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes the southern United States and Central America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 2 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona, Texas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Same family (Nymphalidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microtia_%28butterfly%29
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.