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Index of Bugs
The Viceroy butterfly’s scientific name is Limenitis archippus. Limenitis comes from the Latin root word meaning marshes. This is a good name for the Viceroy butterfly, because it describes the environment it lives in.
The Viceroy butterfly looks like a Monarch butterfly, except for the black line across the bottom of its wings and the single row of white dots on the black band.
The Monarch butterfly has an interesting relationship to the Viceroy butterfly. The Viceroy butterfly is a Müllerian mimic of the Monarch butterfly. The monarch serves as a model to the viceroy. The two butterfly species have similar color patterns even though they are not related. Both the Viceroy butterfly and the Monarch butterfly taste bad to their predators. Predators learn not to prey on either butterfly species because they look so much alike.
Female Viceroy butterflies lay their eggs on the tips of willow tree or cottonwood leaves. Predators have a hard time spotting the eggs.
Viceroy caterpillars are found living in willow, poplar, and cottonwood trees. They eat the leaves of these trees. Viceroy caterpillars are olive green and brown with bristly bumps at the back of their heads. The caterpillars have a white spot on their backs. Because of their coloring, they look like bird droppings, which gives them protection from predators.
The Viceroy chrysalis is brown with cream markings. Predators may also mistake the chrysalis for bird droppings.
Viceroy butterflies drink sap that oozes from trees. Once flowers bloom, adult Viceroy butterflies sip the nectar of aster, goldenrod, thistle and other flowers.
To learn more about Viceroy butterflies and to see them in action, order the Backyard Bugs DVD.
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