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Step 1
Know where the common banner butterfly is likely to be found. From the name, it is easy to assume the butterfly is found in many places, but actually it is found only from Panama through Central American to Mexico all year round, with some activity in south Texas in October.
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Step 2
Look at the forewing. This is the wing closer to the head of the butterfly. On the common banner, for both sexes, the forewing is squared.
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Step 3
Check the color on the forewing. On the female, there is a creamy white stripe that is fairly wide in the middle of the forewing. The tip is dark and the bottom is dark orange. Look for a creamy white dot on the tip. On the male, the is a deep gold color near the body interspersed with dark brown stripes leading to the tip. At the tip the color is nearly red and the last dark stripe at the tip also has a white dot.
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Step 4
Look at the hindwing, opposite from the forewing. This helps identify the underside of the butterfly. On the female it nearly all dark orange, and on the male it has orange and black bands.
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Step 5
Identify the caterpillar nesting sites. The common banner butterfly emerges from caterpillars that nest in soapberry trees in a rain forest or cloud forest environment.
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Step 6
Look at closeup photographs of the common banner butterfly on a number of websites.
