Scientists discovered that Heliconius butterflies live much longer than similar species. Some of these butterflies show little physicalphysical/ˈfɪzɪkəl/L2身体的；物理的relating to the body or to real objects that you can see and touch declinedecline/dɪˈklaɪn/L2下降；衰退a gradual decrease in quality, strength, or importance as they age. This finding could help researchers understand the biology of aging. The study came from the University of Bristol and was published in June 2026.
Most adult butterflies live only a few weeks. However, Heliconius hewitsoni survived up to 348 days. In contrastcontrast/ˈkɒntrɑːst/L2对比；差异a noticeable difference between two or more things, a related species called Dione juno lived only 14 days. This is a 25-fold difference in maximum lifespan. The research also showed that Heliconius hecale did not lose grip strength as it got older. Its short-lived relative, Dryas iulia, showed clear signs of aging.
Heliconius butterflies eat pollenpollenL1以特定人物、作品或主题为特色的电视节目。the fine spores that contain male gametes and that are borne by an anther in a flowering plant as adults, which is very unusual. Most butterflies only drink nectar. Even without pollen, H. hecale still lived longer than its relatives. This suggests that both diet and evolutionevolution/ˌiːvəˈluːʃən/L2进化；演变the gradual process by which living things change over time to become better adapted to their environment help them live longer. Dr. Jessica Foley, the lead author, said: "Heliconius butterflies are among the longest-lived butterflies, but what makes them particularly remarkableremarkable/rɪˈmɑːkəbəl/L2非凡的；引人注目的unusual or surprising, and therefore worth noticing is that they appear to have evolved not only longer lifespans, but also slower aging."
