This lifeform is found in the Andes mountains of South America.

Bow Wing butterflies (Family Heliconidae) is restricted to the New World tropics. These medium-sized butterflies are generally very brightly colored and greatly prized by butterfly collectors. They usually have long narrow wings, thin bodies, and long antennae. This family includes the Agraulis, Dione, Dryas, Eueides, and Heliconius genera.

The taxonomy of this group is one of the most complex imaginable. The hundreds of named forms are quite distinct from each other. Recent research, however, has shown that these forms can be reduced to approximately 70 different species. Many species have a large number of different forms. Gerardo Lamas in his 2004 checklist of Neotropical Lepidoptera reduces the Heliconidae family to the tribe Heliconiini in the subfamily Heliconiinae. His Heliconiinae subfamily also includes the Argynnini (the Speyeria and Euptoieta genera)and the Acreidae. Mr. Lamas shows 72 species in the Heliconidae family as explained here.

Perhaps the most confusing group is the Heliconius erato and Heliconius melpomene groups. These two species are widespread in South America, and they typically form mimicry pairs. However, in the next valley these two species might appear quite different from the previous valley, and yet still are similar to each other. (Gerardo Lamas shows about 29 named forms in the erato species and about 29 forms in the melpomene species.)

Several other butterfly families are also frequently involved in mimicry with this family. Some Papilio, some moths, and some Ithomidae are frequently noted for being good mimics.

For advanced studies refer to "An Illustrated List of the Type- Specimens of the Heliconiinae," Vol. 32  No. 5, published by the British Museum. This reference gives an illustrated list of 300 type specimens currently in the British Museum.

Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera) are a group of insects with four large wings. They go through various life cycles including eggs, caterpillar (larvae), pupae, and adult. Most butterflies and moths feed as adults, but primarily do most of their growing in the larval or caterpillar stage. Also, most species are restricted to feeding as caterpillars upon a unique set of plants. In this pairing of insects to plants, there arises a unique plant population control system. When one plant species becomes too common, specific pests to that species also become more common and thus prevent the further spreading of that particular plant species.

Although most people think of the Lepidoptera as two different groups: butterflies and moths, technically, the concept is not valid.

Some families, such as Silk Moths (Saturnidae) and Hawk Moths (Sphingidae), are clearly moths. Other families, such as Swallowtail Butterflies (Papilionidae), are clearly butterflies, However, several families exhibit characteristics that appear to be neither moths nor butterflies. For example: the Castnia Moths of South America are frequently placed in the Skipper Family (Hesperidae). The Sunset Moths (Uranidae) have long narrow antennae and fly during the day.

Note: Numerous museums and biologists have loaned specimens to be photographed for this project.

Insects (Class Insecta) are the most successful animals on Earth if success is measured by the number of species or the total number of living organisms. This class contains more than a million species, of which North America has approximately 100,000.

Insects have an exoskeleton. The body is divided into three parts. The foremost part, the head, usually bears two antennae. The middle part, the thorax, has six legs and usually four wings. The last part, the abdomen, is used for breathing and reproduction.

Although different taxonomists divide the insects differently, about thirty-five different orders are included in most of the systems.

The following abbreviated list identifies some common orders of the many different orders of insects discussed herein:

   Odonata:      Dragon and Damsel Flies
   Orthoptera:   Grasshoppers and Mantids
   Homoptera:    Cicadas and Misc. Hoppers
   Diptera:      Flies and Mosquitoes
   Hymenoptera:  Ants, Wasps, and Bees
   Lepidoptera:  Butterflies and Moths
   Coleoptera:   Beetles

Jointed Legged Animals (Phylum Arthropoda) make up the largest phylum. There are probably more than one million different species of arthropods known to science. It is also the most successful animal phylum in terms of the total number of living organisms.

Butterflies, beetles, grasshoppers, various insects, spiders, and crabs are well-known arthropods.

The phylum is usually broken into the following five main classes:

   Arachnida:      Spiders and Scorpions
   Crustacea:      Crabs and Crayfish
   Chilopoda:      Centipedes
   Diplopoda:      Millipedes
   Insecta:        Insects

There are several other "rare" classes in the arthropods that should be mentioned. A more formal list is as follows:

   Sub Phylum Chelicerata

     C. Arachnida:      Spiders and scorpions
     C. Pycnogonida:    Sea spiders (500 species)
     C. Merostomata:    Mostly fossil species

   Sub Phylum Mandibulata

     C. Crustacea:      Crabs and crayfish
      
   Myriapod Group

     C. Chilopoda:      Centipedes
     C. Diplopoda:      Millipedes
     C. Pauropoda:      Tiny millipede-like
     C. Symphyla:       Garden centipedes

   Insect Group

     C. Insecta:        Insects

The above list does not include some extinct classes of Arthropods such as the Trilobites.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.