A long-winged black-and-yellow striped butterfly that's the state butterfly of Florida. Unusually long-lived for a butterfly (6+ months as an adult) and learns to recognize individual flowers.

Also called: Zebra Longwing, Zebra Heliconian

Native status: Native to southern US and tropical Americas

§ Quick facts

SizeWingspan 7–10 cm
Weight~0.4 g
LifespanAdults 3 months — among the longest-lived butterflies; the only US butterfly that feeds on pollen
OrderLepidoptera
FamilyNymphalidae

§ Encyclopedia

Heliconius charithonia, the zebra longwing or zebra heliconian, is a species of butterfly belonging to the subfamily Heliconiinae of the family Nymphalidae. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1767 12th edition of Systema Naturae. The boldly striped black and white wing pattern is aposematic, warning off predators. It is the state butterfly of Florida.

Source: Wikipedia — Heliconius charithonia Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Distinctive long narrow black wings with prominent yellow stripes; slow gliding flight.

Similar species. Distinctive in US; few similar species. Tropical butterflies in genus Heliconius have similar patterns.

Voice. N/A

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Adults: nectar plus pollen (unique among US butterflies — pollen-feeding extends lifespan dramatically). Caterpillars: passion vines (Passiflora).

Behavior. State butterfly of Florida (designated 1996). Among the most-studied butterflies due to remarkable behaviors: pollen-feeding (extracts protein and amino acids from pollen, allowing adults to live 3+ months vs. 2–4 weeks for most butterflies), male choice of pupating females (males detect chemical signals through pupal cases, mate with newly-emerging females, and pass nutrients to ensure paternity), and complex behavior including communal roosting.

§ Range

Southern US (Florida especially), Caribbean, Central/South America

§ Habitat

Tropical hammocks, forest edges, gardens

§ Threats

Loss of tropical hammocks, hurricane impacts, climate change.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the zebra longwing is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Plant native passionflower (host). Support tropical hammock protection.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • Butterflies and Moths of North America
  • Florida Department of Citrus
  • iNaturalist