Small Blue Grecian
Heliconius Sara or the Sara is a common butterfly in gardens and rainforests from Guatemala to the southern Amazon. Adult Saras prefer forest edges or open areas, where they fly slowly in the middle story.
Females gather in groups to lay eggs on the new shoots of host plants. At night, adults roost in small groups on twigs or tendrils within 10m of the ground.
Did you know?
They pupate in pale brown chrysalids with black spines and veins.
The Sara Longwing Butterfly, also called the Small Blue Grecian, one of the Heliconian family, is native to Mexico through to northern South America.
The topside has a beautiful midnight blue iridescence on black, not seen from all angles. Male and female have a similar appearance.
In common with other Heliconian butterflies, adults not only drink nectar but also eat pollen which improves their lifespan.
Caterpillars eat Passion Flower vines, the toxins from which give them and the adult butterflies some protection from predators.
One subspecies of the Sara Longwing, H. s. theudela native to Costa Rica, has a white keyboard bar bordering its hindwings.
