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Danaus eresimus

(Soldier)

Overview

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Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Soldier, Tropic Queen, Tropical Queen

Description

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Family Nymphalidae

'The Nymphalidae are members of the Superfamily Papilionoidea, the true butterflies. Distributed worldwide, butterflies of this family are especially rich in the tropics. They are highly variable, and there are more species in this family than in any other. Adults vary in size from small to large, and their front legs are reduced, unable to be used for walking. Wing shape is also highly variable: some species have irregular margins (anglewings and commas), and others have long taillike projections (daggerwings). Browns, oranges, yellows, and blacks are frequent colors, while iridescent colors such as purples and blues are rare. Adults of some groups are the longest-lived butterflies, surviving 6-11 months. Adult feeding behavior depends on the species, where some groups primarily seek flower nectar while others only feed on sap flows , rotting fruit, dung, or animal carcasses. Males exhibit perching and patrolling behaviors when seeking mates. Egg-laying varies widely, as some species lay eggs in clustsers, others in columns, and others singly. Caterpillar appearance and behavior vary widely. Brushfoots overwinter as larvae or adults.

'[1]

Subfamily Danainae

Monarchs and milkweed butterflies are members of Danainae, which is a subfamily of the Family Nymphalidae. The best known member of this family is the Monarch butterfly. Danaid females lay their eggs on the milkweed on which their larvae feed . The larvae and the butterflies retain the poisonous glycosides from the milkweed and are poisonous to predators .[2]

Physical Description

Species Danaus eresimus

Upperside is brownish orange, darker at the wing bases ; both wings with thin black veins. Black borders of forewings have 2 rows of white spots; white spots are scattered at the forewing apex. Underside of hindwing has black veins; black borders of both wings have 2 rows of white spots. Upperside of male hindwing has a black scale patch . Very similar to the Queen (Danaus gilippus), but upperside of the forewing usually lacks larger white spots below the apex. Upperside is more orange and the wing veins are more defined than the Queen. Underside of hindwing has a band of blotchy pale spots, which are lacking in the Queen. (ref. 105842)

Color:

Upperside is brownish orange, darker at the wing bases ; both wings with thin black veins. Forewing has fewer white spots than the Queen. Underside of hindwing has a pale band of blotchy pale spots.

Size/Age/Growth

Wing span : 2 3/4 - 3 3/4 inches (7 - 9.5 cm).

Habitat

Open pastures and fields , edges of seasonally dry tropical forests .

In FL and TX, the species is found in open fields, wooded borders , and other mostly disturbed sites. It is not normally associated with coastal habitats , but at Fort Fisher and at Fort Macon the butterflies were found along the edges of a maritime forest and brackish marsh . (ref. 104656)

Biology

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Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Milkweeds and milkweed vines . Adult food: Flower nectar.

The foodplants are in the milkweed family . Adults nectar on a wide variety of flowers. (ref. 104656)

Behavior

Flight: From August-December in South Texas; all year in southern Florida, most common from October-December.

Flight period: The only records are one photographed by Derb Carter at Fort Fisher on July 19, 1998, and by Randy Newman at Fort Macon on July 27, 2003. (ref. 104656)

Taxonomy

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Synonyms

Papilio eresimus Cramer 1777

Similar Species

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They are fairly easily distinguished from their more common sister species by the "smudged" black and white markings of the hindwing undersides. Variable from light to darkly patterned.

Very similar to Queens. Note that the white spots in the forewings (as viewed from above) do not occur as extensively in Soldiers, and note that the Soldier's underhindwing shows a faint curved median watermark. Soldiers natively breed farther south, in FL and TX.

Members of the genus Danaus

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 7 species and subspecies in this genus:

D. chrysippus (Plain Tiger) · D. cleophile (Jamaican Monarch) · D. eresimus (Soldier) · D. genutia (Common Tiger Butterfly) · D. gilippus (Queen) · D. plexippus (Monarch) · D. plexippus plexippus (Monarch)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=18&sci=Nymphalidae&com=Brush-footed Butterflies [back]
  2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Plexippus&search=Search [back]
Last Revised: 7/16/2012