Queen Butterfly

The Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) is just slightly smaller than the Monarch. The Queen is an orange-brown color with white spots and black borders. It has similar colorations to the Soldier and Viceroy butterflies.

Size: 3.0" - 3.5"

Host plants: milkweed species
Nectar plants: Butterfly Bush, Lantana, Zinnia

Queen Butterfly Life Cycle Stages and Times

Stage	Typical Duration
Egg stage	4 to 6 days
Caterpillar (larval) stage	2 to 3 weeks
Chrysalis (pupal) stage	5 to 15 days (except for overwintering pupae)
Adult butterfly stage	1 to 3 months

 

Queen Butterfly (dorsal view)

Queen Butterfly (ventral view)

 

Queen Butterfly at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona (Staff photo)

Queen Butterfly Caterpillar ... it has similar coloration to a Monarch caterpilar, but has three sets of fleshy filaments, one on each end, and one towards the middle

Queen Butterfly caterpillar

 

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Is It a Queen, Monarch or Black Swallowtail Caterpillar?

The caterpillars of the Queen, Monarch and Black Swallowtail all feature white, yellow and black markings. But which one are you seeing? Check the images below for the differences between the three caterpillars.

 

Side-by-side comparison of Monarch Butterfly Look-Alikes: Queen, Viceroy and Soldier

Shown below is a spotting guide to butterflies that are similar in coloration and markings to the Monarch. Included are the Viceroy, Queen and Soldier ... the "Royal Court of Butterflies" !