Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charitonius)

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artcons Fort Lauderdale, FL(Zone 10b) Aug 03, 2006

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monschi Saint Petersburg, FL Aug 09, 2006

I have moved my garden and don't have any Zebra Longwings Butterflies in my new location (Gulfport, just south of St. Pete) I have planted all the necessary shrubs and vines... still no Zebras. Can anybody tell me where I can get caterpillars?
Monschi,
lonely for Zebra butterflies

Post #2603988
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artcons Fort Lauderdale, FL(Zone 10b) Aug 09, 2006

Monschi, Mine are back in full swing after the hurricanes of last year. However they don't reproduce as often as I would like them to here. Partially because they clean out two passion flowers they prefer in my yard when they have cats here. The two passionflowers they like best in my yard are passiflora Lutea & Suberosa, both natives. They don't touch anything else and i have many others. Because these two grow so slow and get devoured so fast, usually there is nothing for females to lay eggs on. Fortunately this is the only known butterfly that in addition to eating nectar, eats pollen. By eating pollen it quadruples it's life on this earth. Some of them live 5 or 6 months.
One plant (weed) I have here I know they love is a Butterfly or Shepherd's Needles Bidens alba var. radiata. If you don't have one, I suggest getting one, even though if not watched, they can be highly invasive. You can find them in almost any vacant lot. These plants produce flowers all year round. In the wintertime when there is barely anything else, just this flower alone will bring them into your yard.
Also, I strongly suggest getting the passonflower I mention above. The Suberosa is better then the Lutea as it grows faster and has bigger leaves. The cat's of the Zebra Longwing are more voracious than most. One batch of new cat's is enough to totally defoliate these bushes.
If you are able to get these passiflora, I suggest a shady spot with cover to grow them. Being white cats they are easy prey for everything that eats cats. My ZL's prefer laying eggs on the passion vines in the shade with cover. I have several of each passionflower planted in various spots around the yard and only the shady spots ever have cats on them or even show signs that cats were ever present.
Being the state butterfly there may be programs where cat's are given away. I would check your local extension service and ask them.

Art

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