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Queen Butterfly
Danaus gilippus
28.5383, -81.3792
Field Notes
Description:
The Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae (the brush-foots) with a wingspan of 2.75–3.25" (70–88mm). It is orange or brown with black wing borders and small white forewing spots on its dorsal wing surface, and reddish ventral wing surface fairly similar to the dorsal surface. The ventral hindwings have black veins and small white spots in a black border. The male has a black androconial scent patch on its dorsal hindwings.
Habitat:
Open, sunny areas, including fields, deserts, roadsides, pastures, dunes, washes, and waterways. Queens are known to migrate like the Monarch, but to a lesser extent. The stay mainly in warm climates year round. (Struttman 2000)
The Queen can be found ranging from Brazil to Florida and the Gulf Coast. It is also prevalent in the states of California, Texas, Arizona, and southern New Mexico. (Douglas, 1986; Ehrlich and Ehrlich, 1961; Holland, 1907)
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