Information on the Viceroy Butterfly

Geography

• Most of the United States, northern Mexico and southern Canada are home to the Viceroy butterfly. The Viceroy prefers wet areas for its habitat such as swamps, marshes and meadows. Its favorite trees are the willow, aspen and poplar.

Size

• The Viceroy butterfly has a wingspan of 7 to 7.5 cm.

Identification

• The Viceroy butterfly is orange with black veins and white spots on the edge of its wings. The topside and the underside of the Viceroy's wings are very similar. A black line across the back of the wing distinguishes it from two other butterfly species: the Monarch and the Queen.

Function

• The close resemblance between the Monarch butterfly and the Viceroy protects both through the phenomenon of Mullerian mimicry, which is when two harmful species mimic each other for their mutual benefit.

Reproduction

• Viceroy butterflies usually mate in the afternoon. The male spends most of his day looking for available females. The female lays eggs on the edges of leaves.