Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas Vol. I could tend to deadlines for grant funded projects, or I could set up a camera and wait for a female to eclose, filming the males fighting for her as she entered the world as a butterfly. Photograph by Jaret C. Daniels, University of Florida. Allthis time, butterfliesbeen living secret lives that most of us never notice. An unusual fact about the Zebra longwing is Zebra longwings feed on nectar and pollen. A zebra longwing caterpillar has a white body covered with long black spines. According to flawildflowers.org (a link to the article is below) the Zebra Longwing is the state butterfly of Florida. It is a regular sight in many butterfly gardens and suburban yards and parks. Follow the fascinating life-cycle of the zebra longwing butterfly.up close and very personal! The path takes them from Canada down to Mexico. UC Riverside, 2011. It still hasnt recovered from a volcanic eruption that wiped out much of its habitat in 1951. The caterpillars are white with black spots and black spines and are conspicuous, because they too signal to predators, Dont eat me! Caterpillars pupate on or near hostplants and the chrysalis looks like a dry leaf and is hard to find. As of 2021, the butterflys conservation status is secure, but pesticides have devastated its Florida population. Then, in 1992 Hurricane Andrew almost wiped it out altogether. "Evidence of Pollen Digestion at Nocturnal Aggregations of Heliconius Sara in Costa Rica (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)." [2][3] It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1767 12th edition of Systema Naturae. Many butterflies lay their eggs on plants that are toxic to other insects so that their larvae can ingest these toxins and become poisonous to animals that prey on them. The females and males can be told apart because the female has all black antennae while the males are black and tipped with yellow. An adult collects pollen by inserting its proboscis into the flower while making particular movements to secure adhesion to the pollen grains. Their wings are brown and white, but the smaller males are sparkling blue-green and banded in black, with a green or blue-green underside. 2005. Butterflies that feed on pollen are more distasteful to predators, more brightly colored, and show superior mimetic diversity to those that do not. Butterflies of Florida Field Guide. The Zebra Longwing can break down and absorb pollen. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Zebra Longwings not only sip nectar from flowers but they feast on pollen. The Western Pygmy Blue butterfly is a unique butterfly that often measures less than half an inch. Now he spends time exploring north Florida's forests, coasts, waterways, and the endlessly fascinating ecosystem that is the backyard garden. Zebra longwings and gulf fritillaries carpet-bombed it with eggs, and for a good couple of months, dozens upon dozens of caterpillars had all the food they needed. That would be the male. Adult harvester butterflies arent carnivores, but they continue to have an unusual diet thats predicated on the presence of aphids. [25], Complete spermatophore degradation to an orange or yellow substance occurs in a two-week period. For a period of up to two years, these pupae will be fed by unsuspecting ants that neglect their own young for the sake of the parasitic intruder. The longest butterfly migration is 8000 miles! The undersides of the wings are brown with orange eyespots outlined in bronze and brown, and the wings of the females have a broken bronze band. This female had just entered the world as a butterfly, and, likely after a short fight between the males, immediately started mating. Whatever you call it, its hardly the stuff of childrens books. There are carnivorous butterflies that prey on aphids and another species that tricks ants into hatching and raising their young. [27], In most species of butterflies, pheromones play a role in courtship and mate recognition,[21] and can play a role in deterring mates. No other males attempt to mate with this female after it has been mated, because during mating the male repellent is transferred from him to her. More specifically, harvester caterpillars are specialized carnivores who feed almost exclusively on woolly aphids. This species is common in Mexico and Central America and it is also found in most of Florida and in some areas of Texas, where it can be seen year round. And if you're keen to plant native, butterfly-friendly plants . They enthrall people with their delicacy, innocence, and jewel-like colors. Mature larva of the zebra longwing butterfly, Heliconius charithonia (Linnaeus), on corkystem passionflower, Passiflora suberosa L. (Passifloraceae). Getty Images offers exclusive rights-ready and premium royalty-free analog, HD, and 4K video of the highest quality. Pupae: The pupae are brown and have two long flanges off the head. It is native to South and Central America and can be found in some parts of the southern United States. Some butterflies have always been rare, but due to habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change, too many of them are endangered as well. 1965. The zebra longwing butterfly or zebra heliconian, Heliconius charithonia, is unmistakable with its long narrow wings, which are striped black and pale yellow. Once they come in contact with the indigenous red myrmica ant, theyll instinctively secrete a sweet substance that the ant can eat and also gives off chemicals that make ants mistake them for their own young. However, if this does occur, the copulating male continues to fend them off by opening his wings. Pollen is very nutritious, rich in proteins, unlike nectar which contains almost no proteins, just sugars. This large and sensationally colorful butterfly is found in the mountains of New Guinea. A denizen of more forested settings, it frequents subtropical hammocks, forest margins, shrubby thickets, and adjacent open areas. Also called the Emperor of India, this butterfly is found in the eastern Himalayan mountains and is unmistakable because it is largely a lush, grass green. The additional nutrients from the pollen enable individuals to survive for several months, far exceeding the normal two to four week adult life span of most other butterflies. I feel like Ive seen more death in my yard this year than in other years, but thats because theres so much more life in my yard than in other years. How did this mountain lion reach an uninhabited island? Rob is married with two young sons, who make a pretty fantastic adventure squad. And their tastes run to stronger stuff than nectar: fermenting sap, fresh dung and rotting carrion are all particular favourites.. Swallowtail species stick out a snake-like tongue when bothered. Web. Adults may be found in all months of the year throughout much of central and southern portions of Florida. Spermatophores contain anaphrodisiacs, pheromones that reduce the attractiveness of the females to subsequent males, indicating evolution driven by intrasexual selection between males. Now critically endangered, its believed that their population has been reduced to four small communities throughout only 40 square miles. Not only is it poisonous during certain phases of its life, but its also the largest butterfly species found to date. 2005. "Behavioral Traits Expressed During Heliconius Butterflies Roost-Assembly". Larvae often try to avoid areas where trichome density is highest by staying on the under surface of the leaves. Like honeybees, the butterfly has also suffered colony collapse. The caterpillar eats the leaves of Daphne shrubs. As I keep repeating, if only two out of the dozens of eggs laid make it to adulthood, then their parents have been replaced and they maintain a stable population. [9], H. charithonia adults form communal roosts nightly. UF/IFAS. The passion flower contains a toxin that gives the zebra longwing an unpleasant taste and makes it poisonous to predators. Their saliva enables them to dissolve the pollen and to take their nutrients. The zebra butterfly is also known as the 'zebra longwing', another name that fits. Spermatophores contain nonfertile sperm (apyrene) to increase the anaphrodisiac effect. Why wetlands are so critical for life on Earth, Rest in compost? 00:00 / 00:00. Passiflora plants have trichomes, structures that reduce herbivore attack physically or chemically. When he did notice, he found himself stuck. How long do zebra longwing butterflies live? Some of those animals are eaten by hawks, owls, or snakes. [9] Pre-roosting interactions, which consist of sitting near one another, chasing each other briefly while fluttering, or basking,[10] occur between butterflies from separate roosts, indicating that the butterflies are aware of other roosts in their home range. Common hosts are purple passionflower, Passiflora incarnata L.; corkystem passionflower, Passiflora suberosa L.; yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea L.; and several other passionflower vines. Larvae: The mature larvae are white with black spots numerous black branched spines. Every butterfly species, and its caterpillars, behaves in its own way. 345 pp. But not really. Visitors must stop in a mirrored room to check for butterflies before exiting. Despite this, the zebra longwing chooses to form smaller aggregations. Rainfall has no effect on migration patterns. Thats right; dont get between a butterfly and a freshly dropped pile of dung. Find Zebra Longwing Butterfly stock illustrations from Getty Images. The geographic distribution of H. charithonia overlaps with the ranges of other butterflies which sometimes leads to conflict. The Zebra Longwing is the state butterfly of Florida. A fallen log was oozing fermenting sap, and while a fluffy pile of butterflies was sipping and slowly getting drunk, the two white-barred butterflies showed up and started a bar fight. The female also has more tails on her hindwing, and shes a bit duskier. Adults: Zebra longwings are medium-sized butterflies with elongated wings. Learn more about each of these caterpillars in this 2019 post. The caterpillar eats species of the pipevine, which probably makes it bad-tasting to predators. Species: Heliconius charithonia (Linnaeus, 1767) Heliconius charithonia, the zebra longwing or zebra heliconian, is a species of butterfly belonging to the subfamily Heliconiinae of the family Nymphalidae. Scientists are still trying to puzzle out how the scales on the wings produce such a vivid color. They can grow up to 100 times their initial size during this process. Their tropical or semitropical habitat makes this possible; furthermore the feeding habits of the adults are important in prolonging their lives. Individuals that feed on pollen live longer than those that feed only on nectar or sugar water. An unusual feature of the longwing, or heliconian, butterflies is that the adults are relatively long lived. Below is the iNaturalist profile belonging to WFSU Ecology producer Rob Diaz de Villegas. Metamorphosis: crazy weird, crazy amazing. Washington DC 20250-1103, https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/zebra_longwing.shtml, University of Florida: Featured Creatures: zebra longwing (, Pollinator-Friendly Best Management Practices, Native Plant Material Accomplishment Reports, Fading Gold: The Decline of Aspen in the West, Wildflowers, Part of the Pagentry of Fall Colors, Tall Forb Community of the Intermountain West, Strategic Planning, Budget And Accountability, Recreation, Heritage And Volunteer Resources. [24], Adults exhibit pupal mating in which males wait for a female to emerge from her pupa. Ive seen people get discouraged because they dont see many caterpillars make it to adulthood in their yards. And it was neat seeing two different, closely related species share the plant. Since the female is trapped in the chrysalis and has no choice in the matter, the term pupal rape came about, though some biologists refer to it more charitably as forced copulation or simply pupal mating. [5] It was declared the official butterfly for the state of Florida in the United States in 1996. The caterpillars make sounds that mimic queen ants, which pick them up and carry them into their colonies like the well-to-do being toted in sedan chairs. Their appearance likely keeps a few predators away, but not all: I saw quite a few chewed up caterpillars on the passionvine- but so many more live ones. Males are territorial and will even see off small birds. Print. But its alsofamously poisonous, and its caterpillars are cannibals that eat their siblings. Free with trial. For example, the ranges of H. charithonia and the gulf fritillary overlap; in some cases, gulf fritillaries can sometimes be subjected to competition and fighting from Heliconius charithonia vazquezae when those species have breeding populations in similar areas and within the same geographic range. And don't think for a minute that zebra longwings are an anomalyplenty of their . The red and green caterpillar is nocturnal and fond of the leaves of Erythroxylum and members of the pea family. Butterfly Predators: What Eats Butterfly? The significance of this chemical communication remains largely unknown for Heliconius in general. Monarchs often leave their milkweed plants when not eating, seeking shelter away from those paper wasps that are always raiding the plants. 20.1 (2010): 35-37. The female, whos bigger than the male, is dark brown with white spots on her forewings. A relative of this butterfly, the Red Postman (Heliconius erato), is seen occasionally in Texas. There are over 8 subspecies of the Zebra Longwing. Their toxic nature comes from chemicals called cyanogenic glycosides that taste bitter, and if ingested, are bad for ones health. It is also easy to attract to your garden: simply plant some Passion Vines and nectar plants, and swarms of these beautiful butterflies will populate your garden. Free or royalty-free photos and images. This is the foundation. The more I looked, the more I saw. Two males hung on one chrysalis for one whole day, and when I returned from dropping the kids at school the next day, they were still there. A native wildflower listed as endangered in Florida, it produces pink flowers for about a month from about late August through mid-September. and all is free. Passionate Zebras Zebra longwing butterflies also lay eggs on passionflower vines. Adults occasionally wander northward. After a few weeks, zebra longwings showed up, and with less restraint. Decorate your laptops, water bottles, notebooks and windows. The average adult butterflys lifespan is only a few weeks, and it only lends this perception more poignancy. U.S. Here are seven not-so-nice things butterflies are into: Dont get me wrongI like butterflies. Photograph by Nigel Pavitt, Getty, The zebra longwing butterfly was made Floridas state butterfly in 1996. Arrival dates and duration of stay depend on the distance traveled: the longer the distance traveled, the shorter the duration of stay. So, even though the chrysalis is hard to find, male butterflies manage to do so. 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.. [3], Although H. charithonia is to some extent static, maintaining a home range, adults do move between territories. The Zebra Longwing is the only known butterfly to establish colonies. They feed on a wide range of flowers; some of their favorites are lantana (Lantana, Verbenaceae family) and shepherd's needle (Bidens pilosa, Asteraceae family). Though its conservation status is least concern, the Bhutan glorys population is decreasing due to habitat loss. 27 No. 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.. The Biology of Heliconius Night Roosting A Foundation. It is a regular sight in many butterfly gardens and suburban yards and parks. Zebra Longwings are found from Peru in South America and as far north as Texas and Florida. Download this picture of Zebra Longwing butterfly for FREE! Butterfly in nature habitat. Lily said Omz water slide was DOO DOO so we challenge her to a Minecraft Build Battle!!!! The zebra longwing iscertainly pretty, though. [23] Mistakes are rare as males can distinguish between the emissions produced when the larvae and other herbivores eat the plant. [22] H. charithonia mating cues are controlled by multiple genes (they are pleiotropic), particularly in regards to Mllerian mimicry. They are found throughout the state. No wonder it's the state butterfly; it's found throughout Florida in hardwood hammocks, swamps, wetlands, meadows, and in the Everglades. Caterpillars are bluish green; the body is crossed with yellow and white bands, with a wider black band across the humped third segment of . For more information about Queen Alexandras birdwing read this. The blue morpho feeds on the juices of rotting fruit. These reduce male harassment of mated females. Family: Nymphalidae. 1993. Further studies are needed to evaluate any potential for recolonization. [8] Solitary individuals, or very small roosts, avoid exhibiting proper warning signals so as not to attract predators. Their short proboscises make dining on flower pollen difficult, and they instead feed off a combination of aphid honeydew, dung, and mud. A mans world? White-Striped Black Mason Wasp(Pseudodynerus quadisectus), US Forest Service, FM-RM-VE Adults sometimes migrate north to New Mexico, South Carolina, and Nebraska during the warmer months. And here was one within a few feet of several chrysalises. Still, Schaus swallowtails conservation status is vulnerable and its now only found in southern Florida. Photograph by Jaret C. Daniels, University of Florida. H. charithonia roosts to display collective aposematism, deterring predators by conspicuously advertising their unpalatable taste. Lepid. 250 pp. For the first time this past fall we were graced with the presence of Zebra Longwing Butterflies, Heliconius charithonia.These big bold beautiful butterflies are 'sometimes visitors' to the warm southern and more tropical regions of Louisiana and are permanent residents . Once believed to be extinct, it was found in 1998 and has been listed as endangered since 2020. Here are eight of the most unique butterflies. After copulation is done, the male and female sit side by side for some time. Not according to biology or history. Whether colorful, rare, endangered, or just plain bizarre, each of these types of butterfly reveals some fascinating facts about natural selection. Males like to chase each other through the rainforest and one-way collectors catch them is to wave a blue piece of cloth where they can see it. Zebra Longwings live an unusually long life, and can survive more than a month as adults rather than the typical 12 weeks as most butterflies. CD-ROM. Males can be told from females because theyre smaller than females and have a yellow patch on the hind wing. It is locally common throughout peninsular Florida. The wingspan of the Palos Verdes blue butterfly is only a little larger than that of the Miami blue, and the males wings are more silvery blue than those of its distant cousin. A longtime favorite of staff and visitors alike, the zebra longwing (Heliconius charitonius) is native from South America to south Texas and Florida, and occasionally an immigrant can be found as far north as Nebraska!The zebra longwing is the state butterfly of Florida. [11] Their eyes also help them to recognize color patterns in conspecifics. Back to those zebra longwing adults hanging out under beautyberry and Bidens alba leaves. Our state butterfly, Zebra Longwing, or Zebra Heliconian, is named for its striped wing pattern. Trichome tips are found in the faeces of these individuals. This butterfly is endemic to Washington states San Juan Islands. "NatureServe Explorer 2.0 - Heliconius charithonia, Zebra Longwing", "Lack of Genetic Differentiation among Widely Spaced Subpopulations of a Butterfly with Home Range Behaviour", "Reconstructing Seasonal Range Expansion of the Tropical Butterfly, Heliconius Charithonia, into Texas Using Historical Records", "Zebra Heliconian-Florida's State Butterfly! SWARA Vol. In North Florida, populations may freeze out during an unusually cold winter. Thesis. I hadnt seen this species of paper wasp until this year- its the same species that ate into the caterpillar in the photo above. Studies of their population dynamics indicate that Heliconius butterfly populations (i) occur in low population densities (<5 per ha), (ii) have biased sex ratios (usually towards males), (iii) reproduce year-round, (iv) have maximum adult lifespans ranging from 90 to 180 days . I simply have way more wildflowers and other native plants than Ive ever had. Florida designated the zebra longwing butterfly (Heliconius charitonius) as the official state butterfly in 1996. Figure 2. The purpose of restoration is to return something to its previous state- in this case before forests were clear cut for timber. What Brian told me was that when TNC restores habitat, they treat it like theyre building a theater. Microhabitats are displayed along the Conservation Promenade featuring endangered amphibians the Zoo is currently working with in response to the global amphibian crisis. The Harvester butterfly isnt endangered, but it is rare insofar as its the only butterfly in North America known to be fully carnivorous during the caterpillar phase of its life cycle. This diet allows the butterflies to prolong their lives and also enables them to continue producing eggs for several months. The butterfly is famous for being able to fly great distances, which means that it can hop from one of the Florida keys to the other. Key Points. Its green or blue-gray and dotted in black with white with yellow stripes down its back and sides. Native to southern Florida down into the Caribbean, this swallowtail has a 3.25 to 3.75-inch wingspan and has blackish-brown wings with yellow markings. In my first year with the plant, it grew in every direction. Some different plants and animals would thrive in a warmer, drier climate, and perhaps some species would shift northward. If one of the vines growing tips was covered with eggs, theyd find space to lay one or two more. Despite their name, these arent colorful birds and instead primarily sport brown coats that make these most unique butterflies even harder to spot. New photos added daily. Ive planted milkweed for years, and seen dozens of their caterpillars grow and metamorphose into adulthood. Butterflies start life as caterpillars, which are far from harmless if youre a tasty plant, and can be carnivorous. This year and last, late summer is crazy time for monarchs in my yard. [18], The caterpillar feeds on yellow passionflower (Passiflora lutea), corky-stemmed passionflower (Passiflora suberosa), and two-flower passionflower (Passiflora biflora). There are nearly 2,000 different species! Zebra longwing butterfly (Heliconius charithonia)This is Florida's state butterfly! The upper surface of the wings is black with several bold, narrow yellow stripes. Eggs of the zebra longwing butterfly, Heliconius charithonia (Linnaeus), on maypop (purple passionflower), Passiflora incarnata L. (Passifloraceae). Most butterflies come out in the daylight. To have a dozen of them hang out for weeks on end is new for me, and it allowed me ample opportunity to observe them. The wings, as its name says, are bright blue in the males, while they are gray with a bit of blue near the base in the females. The Zebra Butterfly has aptly been named so since they exhibit bold patterns alternating in black and white, a characteristic which is bound to remind the watcher of a zebra's coat design. But they sure do start mating a lot on and around the plants.