Common name : Sapho longwing butterfly
Scientific name : Heliconius sapho
Family : Nymphalidae
Native to : Mexico, Ecuador
Interesting fact : While the origins of the name of this butterfly is not certain, many believe it to have been named after the mythological Queen Sapho, as it was named so by Dru Drury in 1782.
The sapho longwing butterfly has a wingspan of 82 mm. While its hind wing is blackish blue, the forewing ranges from white with black borders to blue on the inside. The larvae feed on plants from the Passiflora family. This butterfly mimics another of the same species, while that butterfly too mimics the Sapho longwing, so as to avoid detection from predators that might prey on either species.
