Milkweed butterfly
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- For the mythological fifty daughters of Danaus, see Danaides.
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Milkweed butterflies are a subfamily, Danainae, in the family Nymphalidae of brush-footed butterflies. They lay their eggs on the milkweed on which their larvae (caterpillars) feed.
The best known member of this family is the Monarch butterfly. The larvae and the butterflies retain the poisonous glycosides from the milk weed so they become poisonous to the predators.
Another member known, especially for its presence in butterfly greenhouses and live butterfly expositions, is the Southeast Asian Idea leuconoe.
Milkweed butterflies (Monarch, Queen, Soldier) will eat only milkweed and nothing else. This is a highly effective defense strategy, completely shielding them against almost all predators.
They lack the black band on the Viceroy butterfly.
Wasps lay eggs on the milkweed butterflies or catepillars.
[edit] External links
- Milkweed Butterfly large format closeup photographs Cirrus Digital Imaging
- Danaid
- Danainae
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