Red-bordered Metalmark vs Doris Longwing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red-bordered Metalmark Doris Longwing
Scientific Name Caria ino Heliconius doris
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Riodinidae Nymphalidae
Size 28-35 mm wingspan 65-80 mm wingspan
Habitat Heathland Forests
Diet Omnivores Nectar Feeders
Regions South Texas through Mexico and Central America South America (Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Red-bordered Metalmark

A dark metalmark butterfly with bright red-orange borders along the wing edges and metallic blue-green scaling at the wing bases. It perches with wings spread flat.

💡

Did You Know?

Males are fiercely territorial, perching on sunlit leaf surfaces and darting out at any passing insect.

Doris Longwing

A highly variable Heliconius butterfly that occurs in multiple color forms including blue, red, and green morphs. All forms share the same basic wing shape but differ dramatically in color pattern. It inhabits the understory of dense tropical forests.

💡

Did You Know?

A single population can contain blue, red, and green color morphs, all controlled by a single genetic switch, making it a model for studying wing pattern evolution.