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Insects and other arthropods

Viceroy

English
Limenitis archippus

Tabs group

Description

This butterfly’s wingspan ranges from 6.5 to 7.5 cm. Their orange colour contrasts with their black ribs. There is one row of white spots along the wide black edge of their wings.

Life cycle

Eggs are oval. Caterpillars (2.5 to 3.2 cm) and chrysalids (2.2 cm) look like bird droppings, which protects them from predators. The caterpillar spends the winter sheltered in a case it makes itself from partially eaten leaves. There are two generations each year.

Geographic distribution

It is found from southern Canada and across the United States to Mexico.