Insect · GBIF taxon 5128034
Julia Heliconian
Dryas iuliaAlso known as Julia Butterfly, The Flame, Flambeau
Julia heliconians glide gracefully through open tropical woodlands and gardens on long, vivid orange wings framed by subtle black borders. Females deposit yellow eggs exclusively on passionvines, where hatching caterpillars feed on host foliage to accumulate defensive chemical compounds. Adult butterflies supplement their nectar diet by drinking mineral-rich fluids from moist soil and even the tears of basking caimans.
TropicalVivid OrangeLong-Lived
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Lantana Nectar
- Shepherd's Needle Nectar
- Passiflora Leaves
Predators
- Birds
- Spiders
- Preying Mantises
ThreatsHabitat loss, deforestation, and heavy pesticide applications
HabitatsSubtropical forests, woodland edges, clearings, and tropical gardens
Life span3 to 4 months
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNymphalidae
- GenusDryas
- SpeciesDryas iulia
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
- Garden Planting: Grow nectar plants like lantana and passionvines to attract adults to sunny patches.
- Observation Timing: Watch clearings on warm mornings when adults actively patrol for flowers and mates.
- Approach Quietly: Move slowly near feeding butterflies to observe their long wings and uncoiled proboscis.
Co-occurring Kin (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Host Plant (c) Alex Abair, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alex Abair · cc-by
Close Relative "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
Look-alike Relative (c) Nicolas Olejnik, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nicolas Olejnik · cc-by
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Mystic Meadows
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