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Monarch Butterfly

Danaus plexippus

Description:

Possibly a Monarch Butterfly but there's one that looks very similar that we also have up here.

Habitat:

At the edge of a woods located between a fresh water creek and a lake (Lake Blanche)

Notes:

Usually I try to get more than one picture from various angles and try to wait around for them to open their wings but in this case, that wasn't possible. I'm not sure if you can tell the difference between the Monarch and its look alike with the wings closed like this. If not, I'm sorry.

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2 Comments

JanelleL.Streed
JanelleL.Streed 10 years ago

Thank you so much, Jakubko! I wasn't sure if this "postmedian black line" showed up on both the top and bottom side of the wings. So, when they say "hind wing" they're saying the lower of the two wing groups that appear on both the left and right side of the body? And the extra line is a solid black line, completely separate from the black line outlining the lower part of the bottom wing? Sorry. I used to look for the "extra line" in the solid outline itself, not as a completely separate line and "postmedian" had me completely baffled. I think I've got it now. Thank you again!! :-)))

Jacob Gorneau
Jacob Gorneau 10 years ago

Hi Janelle! You are correct, this is a Monarch Butterfly, Danaus plexippus. The similar butterfly you are talking about (the Viceroy, Limenitis archippus) would have a curved line through the hindwing.

Here is the Viceroy, Limenitis archippus:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/65374

Here is the Monarch, Danaus plexippus:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/607467

JanelleL.Streed
Spotted by
JanelleL.Streed

Minnesota, USA

Spotted on Jul 24, 2013
Submitted on Feb 23, 2014

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