Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: DAILY PICTURES # 111, 0 by vitrsna

vitrsna wrote:
hello everyone...most of you are probably familiar with the Zebra Heliconian (aka Zebra Longwings/Heliconius charithonia) and many know that the butterflies feed on both nectar and pollen. They are one of very few butterflies that feeds on pollen. I have been photographing them in my garden for several years but have only seen them nectaring until recently when i found this one knee deep in gathering and feeding on pollen on the Mexican Flame Vine [Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides (say that really fast 5 times :D) syn. Senecio confusus.

The amino acids in pollen enable this butterfly to live up to 6 months as an adult butterfly. The pollen also interacts internally in the Zebra H. to make this butterfly distasteful and toxic to predators. The Mexican Flame Vine is especially rich in pollen and nectar and is by far the preferred dining experience in my garden for all nectar-lovers and pollinators. This plant is available in the US (generally in plant form) and is hardy to USDA Zone 9a. The butterfly is widely seen in Florida, parts of Texas and the southeast. The host plants are various Passifloras.