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Heliconius erato luscombei
I agree with you bayucca. I have just learned that Xanthocles has visible yellow rings all the way around its abdomen,not jus the underside. This image does not fit that marker, so I think your id is closer to the mark. I also agree that butterflies in a butterfly house can be most challenging. We may not have a confirmed name, but it is definitely a beautiful photo.
If you look carefully at your shot you see some white stripe at the margin of the hindwing. If you compare with other shots from Xanthocles in most of the pictures I miss this white stripe. The white markings at the forewing are also not 100% reliable because you have a great variability. Probably I can't be more of help, I just analyze what I can see.
OK, butterflies from butterfly houses are always tricky to ID. Names provides by the management are not always reliable, since they got their pupae from several companies. Xanthocles might be a guess, but there might also be some hybrid. I have seen both Xanthocles and Luscombei in butterfly houses.
Hi; I just suggested a different ID that fits the markings better. I ran across a Flicker photo of this butterfly taken at a Houston butterfly garden. It is not in Texas range, but evidently there is a garden in Houston that has them as a guest.
bayucca ..could it be a common postman?? yes it was taken at the butterfly garden but did not obtain the name..sorry
I am not 100% sure, since this is not a Texas native. Was it from a butterfly house??
Spotted on May 31, 2012
Submitted on May 31, 2012
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