Page 219 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION Southern United States, south to Argentina
HABITAT Warm areas everywhere, except dense forest
HOST PLANTS Milkweed and milkweed vine (Asclepias spp., Sarcostemma spp.,
Cynanchum spp., and Matelea spp.)
NOTE Caterpillar and adult that are unpalatable to birds
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but most common in tropical parts of its range

ADULT WINGSPAN
2⅝–3⅞ in (67–98 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
2⅛ in (55 mm)
DANAUS GILIPPUS
QUEEN 217

(CRAMER, 1775)

Queen caterpillars eat plants in the milkweed family, ingesting
the cardiac glycoside poisons they contain, which makes both
larvae and adults poisonous to predating birds. Queen and
related Monarch (Danaus plexippus) caterpillars are often found
on the same milkweed plants. The larvae of both species chew
through the midrib of leaves before feeding on them, in order to

reduce the ow of the poisonous milky sap into the leaf they eat.
The Queen caterpillar goes through six instars before it pupates,
and the adult emerges within seven to ten days.

The principal difference between Queen and Monarch

caterpillars is that Queens have three pairs of eshy laments
(tentacles) while Monarchs have only two. Like Monarchs,
Queens migrate north in spring and south in fall, but their
migrations are much smaller and they remain common in
Florida and Mexico during the summer. As the Queen uses the

same pheromones as the African Milkweed Butter y (Danaus
chrysippus), the two could potentially mate if artificially
introduced, though hybrids might be infertile.

The Queen caterpillar is transversely
banded white and black, often with partial
yellow bands or spots in the black bands
dorsally, often edged with maroon. The
laments are maroon, and the head is
striped in black and white. The true legs
and prolegs are black.

Actual size