Methona confusa

A big butterfly whose English common names include Giant Glasswing and Confusa Tigerwing. Researchers describe the butterflies in its genus as large and marked with warning colors.

• Giant Glasswing ufl.edu, accessed 20 October 2026
• Methona confusa gbif.org, accessed 20 October 2026
• Description of the immature stages of Methona confusa confusa Butler, 1873 and Methona curvifascia Weymer, 1883 (Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) from eastern Ecuador pacific.edu, accessed 20 October 2026

Sources place it widely across the Amazon basin of South America. Populations also reach Panama, and these are treated as separate subspecies from the Amazonian ones. One species summary gives the range as running from Panama and Ecuador to Brazil.

• Description of the immature stages of Methona confusa confusa Butler, 1873 and Methona curvifascia Weymer, 1883 (Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) from eastern Ecuador pacific.edu, accessed 20 October 2026
• Confusa Tigerwing Methona confusa A. Butler, 1873 | Butterflies and Moths of North America butterfliesandmoths.org, accessed 20 October 2026
• Methona confusa thumbnails butterfliesofamerica.com, accessed 20 October 2026

Like other butterflies, it goes through four stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult. The eggs are laid together in large groups on the undersides of leaves. The caterpillars have yellow cross-bands and feed on a shrub in the nightshade family. Living in groups may help the young caterpillars survive and grow. The chrysalis turns darker shortly before the adult comes out.

• Description of the immature stages of Methona confusa confusa Butler, 1873 and Methona curvifascia Weymer, 1883 (Nymphalidae, Ithomiinae) from eastern Ecuador pacific.edu, accessed 20 October 2026
• Towards an integrative approach to understanding collective behaviour in caterpillars doi.org, accessed 20 October 2026
• Giant Glasswing ufl.edu, accessed 20 October 2026