Julia Heliconian
Dryas iulia (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Heliconiinae
Identification: Forewings elongate. Male bright orange above and below; upperside of hindwing with narrow black border on outer margin. Female duller orange, with more black markings above.
Wing Span: 3 1/4 - 3 5/8 inches (8.2 - 9.2 cm).
Life History: Males patrol all day for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on new growth; caterpillars feed on leaves. Adults forage along a set route of nectar sources each day in a behavior known as "trap-lining".
Flight: Throughout the year in southern Florida and South Texas, strays to the north in summer.
Caterpillar Hosts: Passion-vines including Passiflora lutea in Texas.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including lantana and shepherd\'s needle; probably others.
Habitat: Subtropical hammock openings and edges, and nearby fields.
Range: Resident in Brazil north through Central America, Mexico, West Indies, peninsular Florida, and South Texas. Strays north to eastern Nebraska.
Conservation: Not usually required, but habitat in South Texas is limited.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 331 verified sightings
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Observation date: Jul 11, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 01, 2024
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Observation date: Jun 12, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 29, 2024
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Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 19, 2024
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Observation date: May 24, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: May 29, 2024
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Observation date: May 26, 2024
Submitted by: jacobsjd
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 27, 2024
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Observation date: May 10, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: May 17, 2024
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Observation date: May 07, 2024
Submitted by: Rick Newman
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 08, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/julia_heliconian_0.jpg?itok=FrZNhe6A)
Observation date: Apr 06, 2024
Submitted by: rkw9000
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 04, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_20240421_0830064.jpg?itok=yHwWwB1S)
Observation date: Apr 21, 2024
Submitted by: supermandonlong
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 21, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/julia_butterfly-240214.jpg?itok=ilxt--pM)
Observation date: Feb 14, 2024
Submitted by: Arden K. Powell
Region: Cortés, Honduras
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Apr 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_3166_5.jpg?itok=DpGzveok)
Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: islandgyal
Region: The Bahamas
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 10, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_8088_4.jpg?itok=HBcPg2W7)
Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: islandgyal
Region: The Bahamas
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 10, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc00355.jpeg?itok=4TnOCBTg)
Observation date: Feb 21, 2024
Submitted by: k.d.stutzman
Region: Puerto Rico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 10, 2024
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Observation date: Mar 26, 2024
Submitted by: Tallyho Butterf...
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 28, 2024
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Observation date: Mar 21, 2024
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 21, 2024
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Observation date: Mar 09, 2024
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 09, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/costarica-2024-1863.jpg?itok=3OXVJ3hs)
Observation date: Jan 19, 2024
Submitted by: David-R
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Mar 05, 2024
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Observation date: Jan 27, 2024
Submitted by: David-R
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Mar 05, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/229_2946.jpg?itok=Zdk7PYfJ)
Observation date: Jun 13, 2005
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Missouri, United States
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Mar 04, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/238_3872.jpg?itok=jWScEeEM)
Observation date: Jul 17, 2005
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Mar 04, 2024
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Observation date: Jun 02, 2008
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Shelby County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Mar 04, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/brookfield-_021.jpg?itok=Yc1LnIpQ)
Observation date: Sep 06, 2010
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Mar 04, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/screenshot_20240217-121201_instagram.jpg?itok=eyAJa9WC)
Observation date: Feb 17, 2024
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 17, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_5817-a-web.jpg?itok=AzoLHn3b)
Observation date: Jan 12, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jan 15, 2024
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