Heliconius Hecale Longwing vs African Mud Dauber

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Heliconius Hecale Longwing African Mud Dauber
Scientific Name Heliconius hecale Sceliphron spirifex
Order Lepidoptera Hymenoptera
Family Nymphalidae Sphecidae
Size 70-85 mm wingspan 20-28 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Nectar Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil) Throughout Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Heliconius Hecale Longwing

A large Heliconius butterfly with black wings marked by broad orange and yellow patches. It is one of the most widespread species in the genus and is a participant in multiple mimicry rings. Adults are unusually long-lived for butterflies, surviving up to six months.

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Did You Know?

It forms communal roosts of up to 30 individuals that return to the same branch every evening, providing safety in numbers.

African Mud Dauber

A slender black and yellow wasp with an extremely narrow petiole waist. It constructs mud nests on walls and ceilings, provisioning them with paralyzed spiders.

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Did You Know?

A single mud nest cell may contain up to 25 paralyzed spiders stacked together as food for one developing larva.