Before Hurricane Ian, we had the state butterfly, zebra longwing, visit our garden on a daily basis, both for the nectar and laying eggs on its host plant.
Unfortunately, the hurricane was not kind to this species, as it left devastation many of us have never seen before, in its wake. Although we are still patiently waiting for them to return to our garden, groups around the area are having great success in bringing this beauty back to the Lee County area. One of which is the Tom Allen Memorial Butterfly House-Rotary Park.
We had smiles plastered to our faces as we watched them flutter around us, laying eggs, sipping nectar, and on occasion staying still long enough for us to admire their beauty.
Hurricane Ian, which made landfall on Sept. 28, 2022, eliminated them from our area. Through conversations with other butterfly enthusiasts, they too have not seen them flying around. As of March 1, 2023, the Tom Allen Memorial Butterfly House in Cape Coal, and Butterfly Estates, in Fort Myers, are trying to reestablish the state butterfly in Southwest Florida.
These butterflies gather in roosts at night before returning to the same place daily, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The oldest of the zebra longwing chooses the best location for the night.
This species of butterfly can live up to several months, as they feed on both the nectar and pollen of flowers. According to the U.S. Forest Service, the zebra longwing’s saliva enables them to dissolve the pollen taken in from the flowers for its nutrients, which are rich in proteins. Because of these proteins it allows the butterfly to produce eggs for many months. The U.S. Forest Service stated that they are intelligent insects and can remember where they are getting their food sources, therefore returning to the same plant they fed on before.
