Hewitsoni Longwing Butterfly Heliconius hewitsoni/ (Heliconius sapho hewitsoni)

The Hewitsoni Longwing Butterfly, one of the Heliconian family, is related to the Sapho Longwing and is native to forests of Pacific slopes of Costa Rica and Panama. It looks very similar to Heliconius pachinus (H. cydno pachinus) which flies in the same geographic range, the two involved in Mullerian mimicry. From the underside red patches, the Hewitsoni has 2 long red streaks rather than one, the second combining with the third shorter streak like a shepherd's crook. Both Hewitsoni and Pachinus look a little similar to the theudela subspecies of Sara Longwing, but the first two have an offwhite bar across the hindwing rather than a white border. H. antiochus, also of the Sara-Sapho group, looks similar but without a white bar on the hind wings.

Wingspan is some 80mm. Males sit on chrysalides on females and mate before they have fully emerged. In common with other Heliconian butterflies, adults not only drink nectar but also eat pollen. They roost communally at night. Caterpillars eat Passion Flower vines, the toxins from which give them and the adult butterflies some protection from predators.