Feb 8, 2025
Viceroy (Limenitis archippus), family Nymphalidae, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
This species mimics the poisonous Monarch butterfly.
photograph by Michelle Reagan
seen from China
seen from Malaysia
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Türkiye
seen from France
seen from Mexico
seen from Switzerland
seen from Spain
seen from Indonesia
seen from India
seen from Canada
seen from Mexico
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Taiwan
seen from India
seen from Türkiye
Viceroy (Limenitis archippus), family Nymphalidae, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
This species mimics the poisonous Monarch butterfly.
photograph by Michelle Reagan
@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!
📍 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
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...:-)
Viceroy Limenitis archippus Nymphalidae Family
Photograph taken on September 15, 2024, at Kerncliff Park, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
Red-spotted Purple, Limenitis arthemis astyanax (by me)
I never get monarchs but I always get their counterfeits in viceroys.
Red-Spotted Purple Butterfly Limenitis arthemis