The Viceroy is famous as a textbook example of Müllerian mimicry, closely resembling the toxic Monarch butterfly but with a distinctive black postmedian line across its hindwings. For decades it was considered a Batesian mimic, but research has shown the Viceroy is also unpalatable to birds. Its caterpillar cleverly overwinters in a rolled leaf tube tied to the branch.
Best time to see a Viceroy
The best time to see a Viceroy is July–September, when about 66% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 36,398 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Viceroy? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
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