Heliconius hortense
| Mexican Longwing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ventral view | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Division: | Rhopalocera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Heliconius |
| Species: | H. hortense |
| Binomial name | |
| Heliconius hortense Guérin, [1844] | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Heliconia hortensia | |
The Mexican Longwing, Mexican Heliconian, or Mountain Longwing (Heliconius hortense) is a Heliconiid butterfly.
Description
The basic color of the uppersides of the wings is black, with a vertical white band on the forewings and an horizontal red band on the hindwings. The undersides are dark brown, with a white band on the forewings and a few red spots at the base of the hindwings. The adults feed on pollens and live up to 6 months. Females usually lay yellow eggs singly on shoots of various host plants, mainly Passiflora species, of which caterpillars primarily feed.
Distribution
Heliconius hortense occurs in East and West Mexico and from Honduras to Ecuador.[1][2]
Habitat
This species can be found in cloud forest from sea level to 2300 m.
References
- ↑ Heliconius hortense, funet.fi
- ↑ Heliconius hortense, Butterflies of America
- Mountain Longwing, Neotropical Butterflies
- Butterflies of America
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Tree of Life