Red Postman

Description:

Red Postman, Heliconius erato petiverana, Lapa Rios, Matapalo, Peninsula de Osa, Costa Rica, feeding on Euphorbia sp.

Notes:

Also called Small Postman, mimcrying the Postman Heliconius melpomene rosina which looks identical and can't be separated from Erato unless you have the native specimen or a ventral shot. Freshly captured Melpomene smells of fried-rice and Erato from Wytch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). And obviously Melpomene is the unpalatable/poisenous one (for birds), not Erato.