Heliconius hortense
Heliconius hortense, the Mexican longwing, Mexican heliconian or mountain longwing, is a heliconiid butterfly.
| Mexican longwing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ventral view | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Heliconius |
| Species: | H. hortense |
| Binomial name | |
| Heliconius hortense Guérin, [1844] | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
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 six 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 eastern and western 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 at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
- Heliconius hortense, Butterflies of America
- Mountain Longwing, Neotropical Butterflies
- Butterflies of America
- Tree of Life
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