Viceroy Butterfly

• 19 Mar, 2008
• 9 likes

The Viceroy butterfly is known as the Monarch mimic. Monarchs are distasteful to birds and the Viceroy has evolved to mimic as a means of survival. Their major host plant is willow, especially small shrubby types. The Viceroy in the pic was a yard FIRST for me on Sept. 16, 2006, and I haven't seen another one since. He's shown nectaring on a wild Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) that came up in my yard.