Julia

About the Julia

A long-winged, brilliant orange butterfly of the subtropics, the Julia (or Julia Heliconian) drifts along woodland edges and gardens with a slow, floating, almost hypnotic flight. The male is a vivid, nearly unmarked orange; the female is a duller orange-brown. Its elongated wings mark it as a member of the longwing family, a group known for living unusually long lives for butterflies.

Julias sip nectar from flowers and are famous for taking moisture and minerals from damp ground and even, in the tropics, from the eyes of turtles and caimans; their caterpillars feed on passionvine.

In Texas the Julia reaches the northern edge of its range in the deep south, especially the Rio Grande Valley, where it is a prized sight in butterfly gardens during the warm months.

A note from behind the lens: the Valley's butterfly gardens are the reliable place to find them. Wait at a favored nectar flower, work in soft light to keep that orange from blowing out, and try for a wings-open perch that shows off the long, elegant shape.