Heliconius hecale PUPAE

Commonly known as the Tiger Longwing, Heliconius hecale (Hewitson, 1853), is a striking butterfly from the Amazon and other regions of south/central America. It has multiple colour forms, with 29 recognised subspecies throughout its range from the Amazon in Peru, north as far as Mexico (these pupae may be one or multiple forms, depending on what comes in at the time of ordering). In captivity, it does quite well in a warm, well lit enclosure, or even better in a greenhouse or polytunnel setup. Lots of flowers are important, as this butterfly requires the amino acids from pollen to stay alive - in winter this can be supplemented with essential amino acid powder - and it enjoys shady areas to lay eggs. Humidity of at least 80% is essential for this butterfly in all stages, but the egg and pupa are particularly sensitive. Blue Passionflower (Passiflora caerulea) serves as an ideal host (it is most commonly cultivated and readily available online), however Passiflora oerstedii and P. menispermifolia are also favourites for this butterfly and known to be used in nature. The adult lifespan is quite extensive at 3-5 months on average, but individuals of 6+ months are not unusual in established butterfly houses where flowers are plentiful.