Limenitis archippus
Size:
Wingspan is
2 1/2 - 3 inches.
Similar Species:
Monarch
Queen (rare)
Habitat:
Open areas near waterways or streams. Usually found around willows.
Range/Abundance:
Common in the eastern
parts of the region and uncommon in the mountains.
Flight Period:
Adults fly from late April until early November in three broods with gaps
between broods.
Larval Host Plants:
Willows including Black Willow Salix nigra, Quaking Aspen Populus
tremuloides, Big-toothed Aspen P. grandidentata and
Cottonwood P. deltoides
Comments:
Viceroys mimic Monarchs which birds avoid eating because they are toxic
and distasteful. In flight Viceroys have a more rapid wing beat than the
Monarch and they often flatten out their wings when soaring.
The top photo was taken at the Gilmore Ponds Nature Preserve in Butler Co., OH on August 28, 2002. The second photo was taken at Lake Kissimmee State Park in Polk Co., FL on November 11, 2001. The bottom photo was taken in Orange Co., NC on October 15, 2003.
