Red spotted purple

Red spotted purple 
Limenitis arthemis

Wing span: 
2 1/4 to 4  inches 

Caterpillar hosts plants: 
leaves of apple, Malus; aspen, cottonwood and poplar, Populus; basswood, Tillia; birch, Betula; deerberry, Vaccinium; hawthorn, Crataegus; hornbeam, Carpinus; oaks, Quercus; serviceberry, Amelanchier; wild cherry, Prunus; willows, Salix

Adult food:  
carion, dung, rotting fruit, sap flows, occasionally nectar of small white flowers including, privet, Ligustrum; spirea, Spiraea; viburnum, Virburnum

Habitat: 
deciduous or mixed forests, moist uplands, valley bottoms 

Notes:  
mimic poisonous pipevine swalowtail, males perch 3 feet or more above the ground to locate females, rarely patrol for females, hibernates as third stage caterpillar, females lay eggs singly on tips of host plant leaves, caterpillar appearance mimics bird droppings.