Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: DAILY BUTTERFLIES Page 69, 1 by mellielong

mellielong wrote:
Look at all the pollen this Zebra Longwing has amasses on its proboscis! By the way, it's on firebush which is a total magnet for them. It also enjoys bougainvillea, porterweed, and jatropha. Zebra LWs collect pollen on their proboscis, then secrete and enzyme that breaks it down to a liquid, then they slurp it all up. Because of this added nutrition, they live 6-9 months. They also have a "trap line" they visit every day meaning they visit the same food sources in the same pattern. Mom sees this guy everyday outside her window. I told her she could name it but it might not respond. The Zebra Longwing is also the official Florida state butterfly. I like to tell that to all the guests at the museum!