#limenitis

[herpsandbirds]

Viceroy (Limenitis archippus), family Nymphalidae, Tallahassee, Florida, USA

This species mimics the poisonous Monarch butterfly.

photograph by Michelle Reagan

[lucidmercury]

Did you guys know the bugs outside are free? You can just take them

[onenicebugperday]

@greenix submitted: hello hello! I've been finding some fun bugs this month and wanted to share. the weevil had somehow gotten into my third floor dorm 😅 I suspect he hitched a ride on some hickory nuts I brought in for class... I am in [removed], please remove location!

A very nice group of pals! The first fuzzy guy looks like a lappet moth, though I'm not sure which one. Second fella is Limenitis sp, so either a red-spotted admiral (or one of the sub-species) or a viceroy. The nut weevil you know of course and the lovely moth is a lettered habrosyne!

[flighty-flycatcher]

📍 Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina 🗓 Date: April 21, 2025 🐾 Media: Image 🌿 Species: Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis ssp. astyanax) 📝 Notes: Medium-to-large butterfly often found in woodlands, forest edges, and riparian corridors. Dark, iridescent blue-black wings with subtle structural sheen and a row of orange-red spots along the hindwings. Underside resembles tree bark, providing strong camouflage when at rest.

Despite its name, it is not a true purple swallowtail but a mimic of toxic pipevine swallowtails, gaining protection through resemblance.

Just emerged from chrysalis attatched to lamppost.

🔗 iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/272086740

[faguscarolinensis]

Limenitis arthemis astyanax / Red-Spotted Purple in Durham, NC

[coolbugs]

Bug of the Day

There was, I swear, a 5-minute break in the weather today where the sun came out, so I ran outside with the doggos (who are not fans of rain) and was surprised to see this new visitor to the back yard: Limenitis arthemis astyanax - the Red-spotted Purple. It was actually still raining even though the sun was out, I suppose this butterfly was as confused as I was...:-)

[wildflowers-of-southern-ontario]

Viceroy Limenitis archippus Nymphalidae Family

Photograph taken on September 15, 2024, at Kerncliff Park, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.

[dendroica]

Red-spotted Purple, Limenitis arthemis astyanax (by me)