Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 1250565

Observation date: May 29, 2020
Submitted by: butterfly rose
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: A female, and she was ovipositing. These are not common here and I didn't know they bred here at all. This is also the earliest BAMONA record for Colorado by two months!
Status: Temporary Colonist
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: June 05, 2020
Coordinator notes: Your suggested ID is correct, a female Queen ovipositing on what looks to be Asclepias tuberosa or A. incarnata. Indeed, the Queen is scarce in Colorado most years, and doesn’t usually show up until mid- to late summer. However, it is probably not uncommon for some breeding to occur as long as milkweed is plentiful.
Checklist region(s): United States, Colorado, El Paso County