Heliconius numata (Cramer, 1780)

Common Name:
Numata Longwing

Synonyms:

Papilio numata (Cramer, 1780)

Natural History:

There are nearly 30 subspecies recorded in the Neotropics (Lamas, 2004). It is an unpalatable species and show a wide variety polymorphic. Integra mimetic complex "tiger pattern" showing chromatic polymorphism in different arrangements of black and orange colors. It is a species that fly high and is found in low numbers in the primary forest where co-inhabit with butterflies ithominae mimics. However, if the forest is disturbed can proliferate in abundance. Both sexes can be captured at flowers of orange-red color (e.g. Palicourea, Warszewiczia (Rubiaceae), Lantana (Verbenaceae), Passiflora (Passifloraceae). In the late afternoon also makes aggregations. For H. numata and anothers species see Brown &  Benson (1974).

 

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Distribution:
Bolivia; Brasil; Colombia; Ecuador; Guyane française; Perú; Suriname; Venezuela

Feeding Adult:

This species visit flowers flowers of  colors in general orange to red.

Feeding Caterpillars:

Host-plant recorded in Brazil according compiled by (Beccaloni et al. 2008), are:

Passifloracea: Dilkea spp., Passiflora spp., Passiflora actinia, Passiflora acuminata, Passiflora alata, Passiflora auriculata, Passiflora bahiensis, Passiflora candida, Passiflora “cerradense”, Passiflora citrifolia?, Passiflora coccinea, Passiflora edulis, Passiflora eichleriana, Passiflora faroana, Passiflora glandulosa, Passiflora jileki, Passiflora laurifolia, Passiflora leptopoda?, Passiflora nitida, Passiflora quadriglandulosa, Passiflora rhamnifolia, Passiflora riparia, Passiflora setacea, Passiflora sidaefolia, Passiflora tricuspis, Passiflora vellozii, Tetrastylis ovalis.

Color:
black, orange, yellow, cream

Habitat:
forest, forest edge, anthropogenic

Publications:

Lamas G. (2004):

Atlas of neotropical Lepidoptera - Checklist: Part 4A Hesperioidea - Papilionoidea. Book.: 1-439

Brown Jr. K.S., Benson, W.W. (1974):

Adaptive polymorphism associated with multiple müllerian mimicry in Heliconius numata (Lepid. Nymph.). Biotropica. 6(4): 205-2208

Beccaloni G.W, Viloria A.L., Hall S.K., Robinson G.S. (2008):

Catalogue of the hostplants of the Neotropical butterflies. Book., London, S.E.A., Ribes, CYTED, Natural History Museum, IVIC: 1-536