Heliconius charithonia, commonly known as the zebra longwing or zebra heliconian, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family
Nymphalidae. It is distributed across South and Central America and the U.S. states of Texas and Florida, with some migrations further north in the warmer months. Adult butterflies are
monomorphic of medium size with long wings. On the
dorsal side, the wings are black with narrow white and yellow stripes, with a similar pattern on the
ventral side, but paler and with red spots. The wingspan ranges from 72 to 100 mm (2.8 to 3.9
in). The
caterpillars are white with black spots and have numerous black spikes along their body. Adults roost in groups of up to 60 individuals on a nightly basis, returning to the same roost every night. These roosts provide protection to adults, the large groups deterring predators and retaining warmth. This
H. charithonia butterfly was photographed in
Hendry County, Florida.
Photograph credit: Nosferattus
