| Found in Southern USA through Mexico to tropical South America, the Queen is an interesting butterfly because its survival tactic is to mimic the poisonous Monarch butterfly.
Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed leaves which contain a toxin. The caterpillars store the toxin which then passes on to the adult. Any bird that tries to eat a Monarch is left with a bad taste in its mouth and learns to leave the species alone. The similar-looking but non-poisonous Queen butterfly then benefits from the same treatment.
| Family: |
Nymphalidae |
| Genus: |
Danaidae |
| Latin name: |
Danaus gilippus |
| Common name: |
Queen Butterfly |
|
