Order limit: $250 (approx. £187) per transaction.
If you'd like to purchase more, please place separate orders. I’ll happily refund any extra shipping costs.

Heliconius charithonia, the Zebra Longwing butterfly, wall decor, taxidermy gift, entomology present, frame 6" x 6"

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.

Please note: In our selection of white frames, the inner box frame—the part that creates the depth of the shadow box—is currently only available in black, as white versions are not available at this time. The outer frame remains white.

This detail has not been an issue in over six years of offering this product, but we wanted to proactively inform you to ensure full transparency.

This applies only to deep frame items. Shadow boxes, if selected, come with a white inner frame.