Ministrymon azia
Hewitson, 1873
Gray Ministreak
Ministrymon azia, commonly known as the gray ministreak, is a small in the . It ranges from the southern United States through Central America to southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. The occupies diverse lowland including deserts and rainforests. are active year-round in tropical regions and from March to September in Florida and Texas.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Ministrymon azia: //ˌmɪnɪˈstɪrɪˌmɒn ˈeɪziə//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
The gray ministreak is a diminutive , with a wingspan of 16–24 mm. It can be distinguished from the similar Ministrymon janevicroy (Vicroy's Ministreak) by color: M. azia has dark to black eyes, while M. janevicroy has distinctive olive-green eyes. The two also differ in patterns and internal structures, though they may occur at the same time and place.
Images
Habitat
Found in virtually all lowland across its range, from coastal deserts in Peru and Chile to rainforests in the Amazon basin.
Distribution
Ranges from the southern United States (Florida, Texas) through Central America and the Caribbean to southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina.
Seasonality
are on from March to September in Florida and Texas; active year-round in most tropical regions.
Diet
feed on nectar from various flowers including Leucaena leucocephala, Melilotus alba, Cynoglossum amabile, Bidens alba, Turnera ulmifolia, Mimosa pudica, and Acacia . feed on flowers of Fabaceae, including Acacia, Mimosa (including M. malacophylla), Leucaena (including L. leucocephala), and Lysiloma bahamensis.
Similar Taxa
- Ministrymon janevicroyFormerly confused with M. azia due to similar size and appearance; distinguished by olive-green (vs. dark /black in M. azia), different patterns, and different internal structures. The two have overlapping but distinct geographic distributions and requirements.
- Ministrymon ledaAnother small in the same , similar in size and general appearance.