Heliconius charithonia vazquezae, commonly known as the Zebra Longwing, is a striking subspecies of Heliconius charithonia, recognized by its elongated wings adorned with bold black and pale yellow stripes, reminiscent of a zebra’s pattern. This butterfly is part of the Heliconiinae subfamily within the Nymphalidae family. The vazquezae subspecies is primarily found in regions of southern Mexico, particularly in states like Chiapas and Oaxaca, where tropical and subtropical forest habitats offer ideal conditions for its lifecycle. The elegant wing pattern serves as both camouflage and a warning signal, as these butterflies are mildly toxic to predators due to the ingestion of passionflower plant compounds during their larval stage.
A unique aspect of the Heliconius charithonia group is its behavior—these butterflies are known for their social roosting habits, where groups of individuals gather together on the same plant to rest overnight, often returning to the same spot each day. They are also among the few butterflies that engage in pollen feeding, allowing them to live significantly longer than other species. The vazquezae form carries the same graceful flight and feeding patterns, making it not only a biologically fascinating subspecies but also a visually captivating one, especially admired by collectors and lepidopterists across the globe.
We firmly support the sustainable tropical butterfly collections as long as they take care of conserving the rainforest where they fly and developing responsible conscious trading.
This allows us to support local ranching farms with ethically sourced material and help at the same time collectors and enthusiasts to contribute to understanding and treasuring those species.
Please consider that the specimen you will receive may slightly differ in size, shape or colour from the picture shown as you are purchasing a natural product.
All our items are carefully delivered to prevent damages on transport, papered items are packaged in glassine envelopes specifying capture/breeding data and location available. CITES certificate will be provided in the specimens required.
HOW WE GRADE OUR LISTINGS (SPECIMENS)
As Insect specimens are natural products, some are bred and some others caught in wild, the quality can vary greatly.
The guide below explains the grading used for specimens in our listings.
A1 No visible imperfections, both antennas, no tearing, scratches or missing part of the wings (or as perfect as you could expect from wild caught specimens), with exception of some leg damage.
A1- Very minor damage, normally restricted to antenna damage or antennae attached separately in the envelope.
A- These specimens have minor damage, such as antenna damage, or minor flight wear such as small scratches, minor sale damage, some minor fraying/chipping around the edges of the wings.
A2 More significant damage, such as major flight wear, small rips, small pieces missing from the wings, damage to the thorax or abdomen.
B or Second Grade These specimens have similar damage to A2 specimens, but to a more significant degree. Usually used as parts replacement or art work material
| SPECIMEN | |
|---|---|
| Country | Mexico |
| Locality | Chilpancingo Guerrero |
| Collection type | Wild collected |
| Bio-zone | Neotropical |
We supply both rare and common species from all parts of the world.
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United States, United Kingdom and Mexico
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