Queen
Danaus gilippus (Cramer, 1776)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Danainae
Identification: Upperside is chestnut brown; black borders of forewings have 2 rows of white spots; white spots are scattered at the forewing apex. Underside of hindwing has black veins; black borders of both wings have 2 rows of white spots. Upperside of male hindwing has a black scale patch. Very similar to the Soldier (Danaus eresimus), but is more brown and has less defined wing veins on the upperside. Underside hindwing lacks band of pale spots present in the Soldier. Queens in the southwest (and sometimes in the southeast) have pale veins on the upperside of the hindwings, which are lacking in the Soldier.
Wing Span: 2 5/8 - 3 7/8 inches (6.7 - 9.8 cm).
Life History: To find females, males patrol all day. Females lay eggs singly on leaves, stems, and flower buds; which the caterpillars eat. Adults roost communally.
Flight: All year in Florida and South Texas, July-August in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Milkweeds and milkweed vines. Some of the milkweeds contain cardiac glycosides which are stored in the bodies of both the caterpillar and adult. These poisons are distasteful and emetic to birds and other vertebrate predators. After tasting a Queen, a predator might associate the bright warning colors of the adult or caterpillar with an unpleasant meal, and avoid Queens in the future.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including milkweeds, fogfruit, and shepherd's needle.
Habitat: Open, sunny areas including fields, deserts, roadsides, pastures, dunes, washes, and waterways.
Range: Resident in extreme southern United States south through tropical lowlands of the West Indies and Central America to Argentina. Regular stray and sometime colonist in the plains; rarely along Atlantic coastal plain to Massachusetts and the Great Plains. Comments: The Florida Viceroy (Limenitis archippus floridensis) is also inedible and mimics the Queen.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1427 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 02, 2021
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 25, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 25, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 25, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 25, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2021
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 01, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Sierra County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 24, 2021
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 26, 2021
Observation date: Jun 18, 2021
Submitted by: AshleySalinas
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 22, 2021
Observation date: May 20, 2021
Submitted by: cheikoop
Region: Grant County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 14, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: luciebrennan
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 14, 2021
Observation date: May 31, 2021
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jun 11, 2021
Observation date: Jun 08, 2021
Submitted by: LauraSea
Region: Nassau County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: May 03, 2021
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 22, 2021
Observation date: May 16, 2021
Submitted by: Haaserl
Region: Indian River County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 20, 2021
Observation date: May 06, 2021
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 09, 2021
Observation date: May 07, 2021
Submitted by: Shupa980
Region: Indian River County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 07, 2021
Observation date: Jun 22, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Weld County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 03, 2021
Observation date: Apr 21, 2021
Submitted by: Susan Sketas
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
Observation date: Apr 21, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
Observation date: Apr 09, 2021
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 12, 2021
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