Immature stages of the tigerwing butterfly, Mechanitis menapis doryssus Bates (1864), were collected during 10 days of fieldwork southwest of the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. Three species of host plants were identified as belonging to the genus Solanum L. (Solanaceae), all of them new records for Ithomiini host plants in Mexico, and two of them were new reports for the species. The life cycle of the tigerwing is described and observations were made of its immature stages and adult morphology. The morphological data collected provide evidence that verifies the taxonomic status of the subspecies and adds useful characteristics for phylogenetic analysis of the genus Mechanitis.