Zebra Longwing on Jatropia Flower

The zebra longwing, Heliconius charithonia (Linnaeus), was designated the state butterfly of Florida in 1996. A denizen of more forested settings, it frequents ...
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The zebra longwing, Heliconius charithonia (Linnaeus), was designated the state butterfly of Florida in 1996. A denizen of more forested settings, it frequents subtropical hammocks, forest margins, shrubby thickets, and adjacent open areas. It is a regular sight in many butterfly gardens and suburban yards and parks. The zebra longwing is a neotropical butterfly that occurs in extreme southern portions of the United States southward through Mexico, Central America and the West Indies to South America. Adults occasionally wander northward. It is locally common throughout peninsular Florida.
Zebra longwings are medium-sized butterflies with elongated wings. They cannot be confused with any other Florida butterfly. Adults have a wingspan range of 72 to 100 mm. The sexes are similar. The upper surface of the wings is black with several bold, narrow yellow stripes. The wings below have a similar pattern, but are paler in color and have several small red spots near the body.
The red flower, Jatropha integerrima, commonly known as peregrina or spicy jatropha, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, that is native to Cuba. It has been introduced into tropical and subtropical areas worldwide as an ornamental species.

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