Butterfly Pavilion - Combining science education with hands-on fun to teach visitors about invertebrates, science and conservation.



Common Name Queen Danaus gilippus Lepidoptera: Danaidae Range: Southern USA, Central, and South America and the West Indies Ours arrive from: Costa Rica and Florida Food: Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) Notes: The queen is widely distributed throughout the Western Hemisphere, occurring occasionally in Colorado as well. Unlike the closely related monarch, the queen is non-migratory. Like all danaids studied so far it is unpalatable and naive predators that ignore the warning coloration soon vomit their meal and learn to avoid this species during future encounters.

Common Name Queen
Danaus gilippus
Lepidoptera: Danaidae
Range: Southern USA, Central, and South America and the West Indies
Ours arrive from: Costa Rica and Florida

Food: Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.)

Notes: The queen is widely distributed throughout the Western Hemisphere, occurring occasionally in Colorado as well. Unlike the closely related monarch, the queen is non-migratory. Like all danaids studied so far it is unpalatable and naive predators that ignore the warning coloration soon vomit their meal and learn to avoid this species during future encounters.