# Red-bordered Pixie (*Melanis pixe*)

The Red-bordered Pixie is a small, colorful butterfly with bright red edges on its wings. It flutters around gardens and meadows, bringing joy to everyone who sees it.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Meadows

![Red-bordered Pixie](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Melanis_pixe_El_Salvador.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Carlos Funes, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Melanis_pixe_El_Salvador.jpg)

## Appearance

The Red-bordered Pixie is a small butterfly with dark blackish-brown wings distinctly outlined by a vibrant band of fiery orange or red along the outer edges. Its dark body may also exhibit metallic bluish-green scales, especially on the underside, making it visually unique.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Lepidoptera
- **Family:** Lycaenidae
- **Genus:** Melanis

## Interesting facts

- Before fluttering, they spend time as spiky caterpillars munching on specific vines.
- Some 'metalmark' butterflies get their name from shiny, reflective spots on their wings.
- These butterflies taste with their feet to decide if a plant is tasty for laying eggs!
- They prefer the shady parts of tropical forests, unlike many other sun-loving butterflies.

## Special abilities

- **Warning Colors:** Its vivid wing borders can signal danger to predators, helping them avoid being eaten by watchful birds.
- **Agile Flight:** The Red-bordered Pixie can dart quickly through vegetation, making it hard for predators to catch because of its agile flight.
- **Nectar Sipper:** It has a coiled proboscis to sip nectar efficiently, helping them access sweet liquid deep inside various flowers.
- **Forest Camouflage:** Their intricate wing patterns allow them to blend into the dappled light of the forest, helping them hide from hungry eyes.

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 25-40 mm
- **Size:** 10-20 mm
- **Lifespan:** 7-21 days
- **Flight Speed:** 5-10 km/h
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

Adult Red-bordered Pixies drink flower nectar and fruit juices, while their caterpillars eat plant leaves.

- **Age differences:** Young caterpillars consume specific plant leaves, while adult butterflies primarily seek out nectar and fermenting fruit.
- **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Fruit juices, Passionflower leaves, Plant sap
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** Passion Fruit Vine (*Passiflora edulis*) — Caterpillars feed on its leaves.
- **Eaten by:** Barred Antshrike (*Thamnophilus doliatus*) — This bird preys on adult butterflies.
- **Pollinates:** Lantana Flower (*Lantana camara*) — Adults visit its flowers for nectar.
- **Eaten by:** [Brown Anole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-anole) (*Anolis sagrei*) — Lizards often snatch resting butterflies.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Be gentle and watch butterflies from a distance so they feel safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Red-bordered Pixie?

Compare the wing outline, spots, bands, eyespots and wing edges. The underside can look completely different from the top. Check for tails, the antennae and where the markings sit instead of relying on color alone. Butterfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What is Red-bordered Pixie's wingspan?

25-40 mm

### How big is Red-bordered Pixie?

10-20 mm

### How long does Red-bordered Pixie live?

7-21 days

### How fast can Red-bordered Pixie fly?

5-10 km/h

### What does Red-bordered Pixie eat?

Adult Red-bordered Pixies drink flower nectar and fruit juices, while their caterpillars eat plant leaves.

### Where is Red-bordered Pixie usually found?

Meadows

### How does Red-bordered Pixie hunt?

Foraging

## Where to spot

- [National Butterfly Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/national-butterfly-center) — Texas, US · Nature Reserve

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Red-bordered Pixie: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-bordered-pixie)