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Insects and Butterflies
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Florida Symbols
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Florida State Butterfly
Zebra Longwing
(Heliconius charitonius)
Adopted in 1996.
The zebra longwing, Heliconius charitonius, is commonly spotted in south Florida, especially in the hammocks and thickets of Everglades National Park. It was adopted as the state butterfly of Florida in 1996.
The longwing is not so common in northern part of the state. The zebra longwing roosts in a flock with its kin. The longwing sleeps so soundly that you can literally pick it off its roost and return it later, without waking any of the rest of its family. The longwing is so comfortable with its perch, it also faithfully returns to the same perch every night. During the day her flight is slow, feeble, and wafting, but she can quickly dart to shelter if threatened or approached.
This black and yellow butterfly has been a loved native of Florida and is known for dining on the sweet nectar of passion flowers. It has been a long crawl for the insect kingdom to receive an honorary position in Florida, with the praying mantis having lost as the last bid for state insect in 1972.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
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| Kingdom |
Animalia -- animals |
| Phylum |
Arthropoda |
| Class |
Insecta |
| Order |
Lepidoptera |
| Family |
Nymphalidae |
| Genus |
Heliconius |
| Species |
Heliconius charitonius |
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State Insects
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Many states have selected insects as one of their state
symbols, however nine states (out of 50) have no official state insect as of 2008 .
in·sect (in′sekt′)
noun
1. any of a large class (Insecta) of small arthropod animals characterized, in the
adult state, by division of the body into head, thorax, and abdomen, three pairs of legs on
the thorax, and, usually, two pairs of membranous wings, including beetles, bees, flies,
wasps, and mosquitoes
2. popularly any small arthropod, usually wingless, including spiders, centipedes,
pill bugs, and mites
but·ter·fly (-flī′)
noun pl. -·flies′
1. any of various families of lepidopteran insects active in the daytime, having a
sucking mouthpart, slender body, ropelike, knobbed antennae, and four broad, usually
brightly colored, membranous wings
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