Zebra Longwings

Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charitonius) was designated the state butterfly for Florida in 1996 by Govenor Chiles. Easy to identify with its long wings and creamy yellow zebra stripes, this butterfly is certainly a favorite in the MOSI gardens. Zebra Longwing and other Heliconians host on passionvines. Instead of laying their eggs singly on the plant, Zebra Longwing females can be found laying their eggs in groups on the newest growth of the passion vines. The eggs are bright yellow and are generally found in clusters from just a few to several dozen.

The larvae of this species are bright white and with rows of branching black spikes that make it difficult for predators to swallow the caterpillars. Zebra Longwing chrysalis resemble a curled, dead leaf and have a section of reflective silver spots on their pupae which mimics water droplets caught on a stationary object.

The adult butterfly is a member of the Nymphalidae or brush-footed butterfly family and only appear to have 4 legs. The front two legs are very tiny and are located near the butterfly’s head. Zebra Longwing butterflies and a few other closely related species are fairly long lived for butterflies thank to their very specific and peculiar diets.

Most butterflies live entirely on nectar which is a sugary water substance found inside flowers. This nectar is the nutritional equivalent of a human attempting to subsist on on sugary soda. Although it is high in calories to power the butterfly through its short life-cycle, it is low in nutrients. Zebra Longwing butterflies collect pollen on the outside of their proboscis and excrete stomach acids through the proboscis onto the gathered pollen. After the process of external digestion is complete, the Zebra Longwing drinks down the liquefied pollen which is rich in nutrients. This special diet allows the Zebra Longwing butterfly to live six to nine months as an adult butterfly.