Queen Butterfly vs Owl Butterfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Queen Butterfly Owl Butterfly
Scientific Name Danaus gilippus Caligo memnon
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Nymphalidae Nymphalidae
Size 67-78 mm wingspan Wingspan 120-160mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Farmland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Southern USA, Central and South America South America, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Queen Butterfly

A close relative of the Monarch butterfly with similar orange coloring but darker. Found across the Americas. Like the Monarch, it sequesters toxic cardenolides from milkweed.

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Did You Know?

A close cousin of the Monarch that is equally toxic but does not undertake the same famous migration.

Owl Butterfly

A very large tropical butterfly with enormous owl-eye patterns on the underside of its hindwings. The uppersides are deep blue-purple.

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Did You Know?

The large eyespots on its underwings closely resemble the face of a screech owl which startles would-be predators.