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Project Noah Nature School
Heliconius charitonius
The zebra longwing butterfly has long, narrow wings. Its wings are black with light yellow zebra-like stripes. It has long black antennae.
Spotted at Niagara parks Butterfly Conservatory, Ontario, Canada
The butterfly ranges over parts of North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. In North America the butterfly is found in the southern parts of the United States including Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North and South Carolina. In South and Central America, it has been recorded in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. The caterpillar feeds on Yellow Passionflower, Corky-stemmed Passionflower, and Two-flower Passionflower. The adults are unusual among butterflies in that they eat pollen as well as sip nectar. This ability contributes to their longevity—3 months as an adult. Because of their relatively long lifespan and their activity throughout the day, this is a popular species with butterfly houses. Another unusual feature is that adults roost in groups of up to 70, and return to the same roost each evening.
Spotted on Jan 4, 2011
Submitted on Apr 29, 2011
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