Spotted in our Teaching Gardens- that is not a monarch butterfly! Viceroy butterflies (Limenitis archippus) are an example of Müllerian mimicry; two distasteful species mimic each other's appearance to their mutual aid. Orange and black are classic warning colors, telling predators, “I taste bad!" Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) look just like this viceroy, except they lack the curved black line of the lower wings.

Have you seen these species in your neighborhood?
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