May Butterfly of the Month

Dryas iulia

Julia longwing or Passion vine butterfly

Range: Southern United States to tropical south America

• These butterflies are known for their erratic flight patterns. In the wild they are often found in the open clearings of forests.


• Julias are in the family Heliconiidae, along with all other species of longwing butterflies. Although they resemble other heliconius species, they have a distinct wing shape and solid orange color that makes them quite easy to identify.


• D. iulia eggs are laid on passion vines. Eating this hostplant during the larval stage will give the butterfly a flavor that is noxious to its predators. Can you think of other butterflies that use this method of defense?


• The Tropical Butterfly House gets Julia butterflies from both central and south America with colors that are very different. Though both are orange, the butterflies from Suriname have a pinkish cast that is almost neon bright!