Zebra Heliconian-Florida's State Butterfly!

In 1996, the Florida Legislature designated the Zebra Heliconian (formerly known as the Zebra Longwing) as the official state butterfly. For more information about other state symbols, go to: http://www.flheritage.com/facts/symbols/index.cfm?page=1

The Zebra Lifecycle:
Zebras lay their eggs on many different species of Passionvine. It is best to plant the Passionvine that is native to your area. The banner at the top of this page shows the lifecycle. For a great pictorial of the lifecycle, see: http://www.lamproductions.com/Zebra_longwing_site.htm

The Zebra Heliconian has many fascinating behaviors:

Zebras eat pollen - The Zebra Heliconion is one of the few butterflies that feeds on pollen. Researchers feel that this strategy enables them to live longer, up to six months!

Zebras roost at night - When night falls, Zebras will congregate into roosts of up to 60 individual butterflies. The amazing thing is that they roost in the same exact spot every night.

The Young Bride - Male Zebras can detect the scent of a female in her chrysalis. On the day that she will emerge, numerous male zebras will hover around the chrysalis hoping to be one of the finalists. At the end of the day, two males will perch on either side of the chysalis and wait for her to emerge. The stronger of the two will be the lucky one to actually mate with her. In the process of mating, the male applies a chemical that will repel other males in order to carry on his genes.