Zebra Longwing Butterfly: the Florida state butterfly
The zebra longwing butterfly, or Heliconius charithonia, was officially designated as the Florida state butterfly in 1996.
According to the U.S. Forest Service the zebra longwing fly slow , gracefully and are not easily startled. The zebra longwing visits our garden daily and often times flutters very close to where we are standing. They are beautiful to watch.
Unfortunately, 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.
There are two red pentas in our backyard butterfly garden that they favor and frequent daily. I have also noticed them favoring firebush.
The life cycle
The zebra longwing favors the corkystem passionvine to lay its eggs.
The white caterpillar with black dots and black spikes will shed their skin five times before creating their chrysalis.
According to the Florida Museum of National History, the zebra longwing males mate with a female before it emerges from its chrysalis, which is often hard to find due to its brown leaf like coloring. Once found, the male, through its senses, will continually perch on the chrysalis after it is determined a female. The male will fend off other males by opening its wings. For several hours the mating takes place, and the female emerges expanding her wings during the process, according to the Florida Museum of National History. While mating, the male transfers its repellent, claiming her as his.
