Invertebrates
Queen Butterfly
Danaus gilippus · also called queen butterflies
Feeding on nectar in a stretch of southern grassland, a queen butterfly displays the same milkweed-derived toxic defence as its close relative the monarch, while a nearby male extends specialised wing scent scales that release courtship pheromones, a chemical signal the monarch itself never developed.
Overview
The queen butterfly, Danaus gilippus, is a milkweed butterfly native to grassland and other open habitat across the southern United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. Its close evolutionary relationship to the monarch, shared toxic milkweed-based defence, and unique male courtship pheromone system make it one of the more behaviourally distinctive members of the milkweed butterfly group.
The monarch’s less famous relative
Sharing the same toxic defence and general family resemblance as the monarch, the queen butterfly nonetheless carves out its own identity through a courtship pheromone system its more famous relative never evolved.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and common across suitable grassland and open habitat throughout the southern United States and farther south.
Queen Butterfly: common questions
How is the queen butterfly different from the monarch?
This species displays a darker brownish-orange wing colour with white spots, generally less boldly contrasted than the monarch's brighter orange and black pattern, and males of this species also have specialised scent scales on the hindwings that release courtship pheromones, a chemical signalling trait the monarch lacks entirely.
Is the queen butterfly toxic like the monarch?
Yes, this species is a close relative of the monarch and shares the same basic defensive strategy, accumulating toxic compounds from the milkweed plants its caterpillar feeds on, which makes the adult butterfly unpalatable to most predators in much the same way the monarch is.
Does the queen butterfly migrate like the monarch?
Not to the same extent; this species undertakes more limited seasonal movements than the monarch, generally remaining within warmer southern regions of its range rather than completing the long-distance, multi-generational continental migration the monarch is famous for.
What does the queen butterfly's caterpillar eat?
This species' caterpillar feeds exclusively on milkweed and related plants, the same toxic host plant family the monarch's caterpillar depends on, a shared dietary specialisation that ties both species closely to milkweed availability within their respective ranges.