#limenitis archippus

[wildflowers-of-southern-ontario]

Viceroy Limenitis archippus Nymphalidae Family

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

[lraquel]

One one of these is not like the other.

One of these things doesn’t belong.

Can you tell which thing is not like the other by the time,

I finish this song? 

***Answers await, under the cut.***

The butterfly below is not a monarch (like the other two), it’s a viceroy.  And, for the purpose of our game, does not belong.  Recent-ish studies suggest that both monarchs and viceroys are toxic to predators. But get this, the type of toxin is different in each species. Mutual mimicry baby! 

Look carefully, the viceroy has a line across its bottom wings. A monarch does not. 

The monarch below lacks the “extra” line of the viceroy. It has two scent glands identifying it as male. Good luck buddy. 

My butterfly pics over the years from mid and southeast Missouri.  Learn more about mutual or Mullerian mimicry here.

[jadafitch]

Viceroy

[shawsnires]

A very pretty viceroy butterfly(Limenitis archippus) spotted at the Hinkson Recreational Area in Columbia, Missouri.

Viceroys are monarch mimics! You can tell them apart best by the thicker black bands on the edges of their wings, their smaller size, and the extra black stripe along the bottom half of their wings.

[that-crazy-scorpio-man]

I never get monarchs but I always get their counterfeits in viceroys.

[celestialmacros]

Not a Monarch

Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

August 13, 2018

Statesville, North Carolina

[bugkeeping]

Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

[coolbugs]

Bug of the Day

The amazingly cool-looking caerpillar of the Viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus archippus), taking a break from devouring a cottonwood leaf. It was a bit chilly where we were blacklighting last night and everything was dew-covered...