How do viceroy butterflies eat?
Viceroys enjoy shrubby and open fields and wet meadows where they feed on nectar from a variety of flowers. According to The Butterflies of Illinois, the adults’ diet changes as the season progresses, and they chow down on ripe fruit, sap flows, carrion, poop, and aphid honeydew.
What plants do viceroy caterpillars eat?
The viceroy caterpillar eats the leaves of willow and poplar trees. The viceroy butterfly eats dung, carrion, fungi, and the nectar of flowers from the Asteraceae family like golden rod, thistles, and asters.
Are viceroy butterflies bad?
Ecological Role – The viceroy mimics the toxic monarch and queen butterflies. Once a predator has become ill from eating one of the three butterflies, it would likely stay away from all three types, saving more of these species from being eaten. Birds that have not eaten the queen or monarch may prey upon the viceroy.
How does the viceroy butterfly escape its enemies?
The viceroy butterfly looks very similar to the monarch butterfly and it uses a defense mechanism called “mimicry” to escape predators. The monarch butterfly’s bright orange color advertises this to predators and tells them to stay away. Viceroy butterflies feed on poplar and willow leaves as caterpillars.
What is the lifespan of a viceroy butterfly?
6 to 14 days
Viceroy Butterfly Life Cycle Stages and Times
| Stage | Typical Duration |
|---|---|
| Egg stage | 4 to 9 days |
| Caterpillar (larval) stage | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Chrysalis (pupal) stage | 7 to 14 days (except for overwintering pupae) |
| Adult butterfly stage | 6 to 14 days |
What is the host plant for viceroy butterfly?
Host Plants Used by the Viceroy Butterfly Host plants include cottonwoods, willows, aspen, cherry, apple, and plum.
What is the range of the viceroy butterfly?
The viceroy (Limenitis archippus) is a North American butterfly that ranges through most of the contiguous United States as well as parts of Canada and Mexico.
What other interests did Richard have?
He was a passionate public speaker and was an important part of Debating Society and Model United Nations Club. He was also an enthusiastic photographer, especially interested in nature and scientific exhibits. He was also a canoeist and enjoyed outdoors.
Why did Richard raise a flock of butterflies?
He wanted to tag the monarch butterflies to study their migration. Richard Ebright’s interest in butterflies led him to collect all the twenty-five species of butterflies found around his home town when he was only second grade. His mother always supported him in his scientific endeavors.
