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Sara Longwing

Heliconius sara

Photo by pamsai
Published on Project Noah
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10.15, -83.81

Field Notes

Description:

The Sara Longwing (Heliconius sara) is a species of neotropical heliconiid butterfly found from Mexico to the Amazon Basin and southern Brazil. It is a colourful species: the dorsal wing surface is black with a large medial patch of metallic blue that is framed by two bands of white on the forewings.

Habitat:

Inhabiting rainforests, adults are commonly found among sparser secondary growth and along forest margins.

Notes:

Can anyone figure out what these butterflies are doing? I was far away and couldn't get closer so I only noticed the 'thing' between them when I put it on the computer. Pity the fern is in the way.

Reference Links:

Sara Longwing

Species ID Suggestions

Sara Longwing

Heliconius sara

Reference Link
bayucca
1

Comments (3)
pamsai
Wow, really interesting. Thank you Martin and bayucca.
bayucca
They are actually doing the so called pupsl mating, as Martin already guessed. This mating habit is quite common in Heliconius species. They are 2males, but only one would be successful and there was observed, that the second one is sometimes chasing the other males away with tha flapping wings. Read more in my blog, which I should finish already a lomgtime ago, nice reminder doing my tasks...
MartinL
The item that the two Heliconius butterflies are perched on is the pupa. They seem to be aged butterflies and therefore not freshly emerged. Some male butterflies wait nearby for a female to emerge from her pupa and mate before she flies. I do not know if this occurs with this species or not but it would be my suspicion.

Spotted for Missions

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Butterflies & Moths of the World
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Paso Pacifico Survey
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Insects of Costa Rica
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National Geographic's Great Nature Project
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Life in Costa Rica
Photographed
PublishedAugust 27, 2013

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