Skip to main content
Close

Small Postman or Red Postman

Heliconius erato petiverana

Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

10.144, -84.6083

Field Notes

Description:

A heliconiid butterfly with an orange stripe down its forewings, while the undersides show a white bar.

Habitat:

Rainforest and secondary forest, Central America to southern Brazil

Notes:

According to Wikepedia H. erato has four red dots where the wing attaches to the thorax while H. melpomene has three. I am pretty sure I can see three here. However see discussion in the comment section! Thanks bayucca!

Species ID Suggestions

Small Postman or Red Postman

Heliconius erato petiverana

Comments (9)

wow ! looks more beautiful with that contrast background !
You are correct with the amounts of spots. But there is probably a fourth spot next to the upper, triangle-like spot. Definitely it is Erato due to the white stripe which passes the whole forewing til the margin. In Melpomene this stripe is interrupted.
Thanks Alice! What I like about those is the creased appeareance of the wings...like they've been ironed this way!

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon