Zebra longwing female laying eggs on a passion flower
vine (Passiflora) in the Conservancy’s Naturally Kiawah
Demonstration Garden.
Zebra longwing eggs and newly hatched larvae.
The passiflora leaves contain a chemical that is nasty to
predators and keeps them away while the newly hatched zebra
longwing larva finding it tasty, grow quickly and pupate. Their
exclusive diet of passiflora leaves continues to protect them
in the pupa stage and as adults making them unattractive to
predators.
WINTER/SPRING 2018 • VOLUME 39
example. They lay their eggs only on the passion flower vine
(Passiflora). No host plants, no eggs, no butterflies.
Plants that are not native are considered alien. An alien
plant hails from a different eco-system. Whether from a
different part of the state or halfway round the world, it
doesn’t share the requisite evolutionary history with the local
wildlife. And it doesn’t support them. A perfect example is
the attractive and popular butterfly bush (Buddleja), which
originates in China where it supports local wildlife. In US
gardens its attractive flowers draw adult butterflies like a good
cupcake shop. Unfortunately there