Insect · GBIF taxon 1900233
Heliconius charithonia
heliconius charithoniaAlso known as Zebra Heliconian
Zebra longwings feature elongated, velvet-black wings marked with bold, creamy-yellow stripes that serve as a stark warning to hungry predators. Uniquely among butterflies, adults consume pollen in addition to nectar, processing proteins that allow them to live for months and synthesize toxic cyanogenic glycosides. At night, individuals roost together in communal sleeping aggregations under dense foliage, returning to the exact same branch evening after evening.
PollinatorAposematicTropical
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Passionflower Pollen
- Passionflower Nectar
- Lantana Nectar
Predators
- Praying Mantises
- Anoles
- Orb-weaver Spiders
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, pesticide application, and extreme cold snaps
HabitatsSubtropical hammocks, tropical rainforests, forest edges, and gardens
Life spanUp to 6 months as an adult
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNymphalidae
- GenusHeliconius
- Speciesheliconius charithonia
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Locate Roosts: Look for roosting clusters hanging from quiet foliage at dusk.
- Plant Host Vines: Grow native passionflower vines to attract breeding adults.
- Move Slowly: Approach quietly near flower patches to watch pollen feeding up close.
Host Plant (c) Turner Brockman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Turner Brockman · cc-by-sa
Competitor "Gulf Fritillary butterfly" by USFWS/Southeast is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Dennis White · cc0
Keep collecting in Fauna
Continue in the app Found in Collections
Ecosystem chain Pro
Mystic Meadows
Heliconius charithonia is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
Unlock to track progress
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.