Zebra Heliconian
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 Zebra Longwing
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| Heliconius charitonius (Carolus Linnaeus, 1767) |
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. [1] Another unusual feature is that adults roost in groups of up to 70, and return to the same roost each evening. It was named the official butterfly of Florida in 1996 by Governor Chiles
[edit] References
- ^ Scott, JA. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press
[edit] External links
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