The Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) is a real visual treat if you can manage to get close enough to take a long look.
This fast-flying brown butterfly has beautiful patches of burnt orange and gorgeous eyespots that help to protect them from predators. A flash of these eyespots is often enough to be recognized by a predators as "the big scary eyeball of something big enough to attack me!" which sends most birds or lizards off in search of something that doesn't stare back.
Females lay their small pearly green eggs on the leaves of figworts and plantains, common yard weeds that help to keep this butterfly a common sight in the Tampa Bay area and the MOSI gardens. We are currently feeding the Buckeye larvae on Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) which we have in abundance.
The larvae have branching spines but are not dangerous to humans. The spines do make them a less fun snack for predators as much like the poking points of thistle leaves these larvae are tough to swallow.
1 comments:
I enjoyed your article. I'm glad the garden at MOSI is thriving again.
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