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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 937 - 960 of 1717 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 06, 2011
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 09, 2011
Observation date: May 26, 2011
Submitted by: jdupton
Region: Texas, Williamson County, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Jul 15, 2011
Observation date: May 22, 2011
Submitted by: Chris Barnhart
Region: Greene County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig
Verified date: Jun 01, 2011
Observation date: Nov 04, 2010
Submitted by: naomiblinick
Region: Sonora, Mexico
Verified by: paulopler
Verified date: May 03, 2011
Observation date: Jul 12, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. Pippen)
Region: New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 26, 2000
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R. Emmitt)
Region: New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Sep 01, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Newman, Randy)
Region: Carteret County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Sep 01, 1995
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (H. Pavulaan)
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Oct 25, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL)
Region: New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Oct 19, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (C. Cameron)
Region: Carteret County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 01, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Newman, RAndy)
Region: Carteret County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Martin County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Sep 17, 1995
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (D. Carter)
Region: New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 27, 1999
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (W. Cook)
Region: Durham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Oct 20, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Newman, Randy)
Region: Carteret County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Oct 22, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Newman, Randy)
Region: Carteret County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 18, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (D. Carter)
Region: New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Sep 26, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Finnegan)
Region: Carteret County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Nov 03, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Newman, Randy)
Region: Carteret County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Sep 01, 1995
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (H. Pavulaan)
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
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