Subfamily Heliconiinæ (the Heliconians)
Moderately large butterflies. Fore wings twice as long as wide. Antennæ nearly as long as the body; club tapering, but stouter than in the Ithomiids, clothed with scales above. Fore legs feeble in both sexes. Color black, sometimes shot with blue, and variously marked with white, yellow, orange, or crimson spots. Eggs cylindrical, twice as high as wide, tapering and truncate above, ribbed. Caterpillar, when mature, with six branching spines on each segment. Chrysalis angulated, covered with curious projections, making it look like a shrivelled leaf, dark in color.
These insects, which are strongly “protected,” abound in the forests of tropical America. There are many species, but only one occurs in our region.