Zebra Heliconian
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| iHeliconius charitonius | ||||||||||||||
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| Image:Zebra longwing butterfly.JPG Zebra Longwing
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| Heliconius charitonius (Carolus Linnaeus, 1758) |
The Zebra Heliconian (also known as the Heliconius charitonius or Zebra longwing) is a species of butterfly. It is the State Butterfly of Florida.
The caterpillar feeds on Passiflora lutea, (yellow passionflower), Passiflora suberosa (corky stemmed passionvine), and Passiflora biflora (two-flower). The adults are unusual among butterflies in that they eat pollen as well as sipping nectar. This ability contributes to their longevity -- 3 months as an adult. <ref> Scott, JA. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press</ref> Another unusual feature is that adults roost in groups of up to 70, and return to the same roost each evening.
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