Template:POTD/2011-12-21
The Dirce Beauty (Colobura dirce) species of butterfly belongs to the Nymphalini tribe, the members of which are characterized by the jagged outline of their wings and the ability to survive the winter months as adults in an obligatory hibernal diapause, hiding in various shelters (e.g., crevices, hollows, cavities, even unheated buildings). The signature mark of all nymphalines is the cryptic color and spots on the underside of their wings, serving to conceal it against the surface on which it rests during hibernation.Photo: Richard Bartz