Same Same, but Different - _TNY_6115
With such a distinctive pattern on the wings, it should be easy to tell which species this is, right?
Well actually, it isn't that clearcut. This one belongs to the Heliconius genus, but the various species mimic each other and the same two species in one part of South America can look basically identical - and then the same two species look differently but still the same as each other in another part of the continent.
I believe this to either be a common postman (Heliconius melpomene) or a red postman (H. erato) - but no promises.
Same Same, but Different - _TNY_6115
With such a distinctive pattern on the wings, it should be easy to tell which species this is, right?
Well actually, it isn't that clearcut. This one belongs to the Heliconius genus, but the various species mimic each other and the same two species in one part of South America can look basically identical - and then the same two species look differently but still the same as each other in another part of the continent.
I believe this to either be a common postman (Heliconius melpomene) or a red postman (H. erato) - but no promises.