Longwing Butterflies and their Host Plants

Subfamily Heliconiinae: Longwings and Fritillaries

Most species display bright bands of color on long, narrow black wings, and many belong to mimicry rings in which multiple species of various group of insects resemble a common pattern or model, to the confusion of birds putt off by distastefulness of at least some of the members. The related fritillaries are mostly tawny orange above and decorated with silver orbs below. In general they bear little resemblance to longings, except for the Gulf Fritillary, a longing's with a striking similarity to true fritillaries. Below are some of them.

  • Gulf Fritillary  "Agraulis Vanilla"
  • Variegated Fritillary  "Euptoieta Claudia"
  • Zebra Longwing  "Heliconius Charithonia"

Shop below for their host plant!