Adults nectar from a variety of plants and may be able to use pollen as a protein source.
The genus Heliconius is broken into two parts: Helico = Helix and nous = reason and knowledge as opposed to sense perception. The specie doris is Greek for dorian woman.
The Doris Longwings are primarily found in areas associated with forest. They also venture out into the surrounding areas and forest canopy. They stay in areas associated with the host plant.
Males patrol for receptive females. After mating, females lay their eggs in clusters on the tendrils of the host plants. The caterpillars feed on the host plants until they form their chrysalis.
There are multiple generations each year which makes it possible to find the adults year round, with the largest populations found during the dry season.
Like all Heliconius, the Doris Longwings are long lived individuals which can live over a couple of months. Of all of the Heliconius chrysalides, Doris Longwings have a similar shape, but they lack the spines found on the rest of the Heliconius chrysalides.
