Orange October: Butterflies and Caterpillars

Central Florida gardens are full of orange butterflies pretty much year-round. Several of our most common species are bright orange, and others have striking orange accents that always draw the eye. Here are some of the orange species we see here at the BioWorks Butterfly Garden and Flight Encounter Exhibit, all native to Central Florida.

Mostly Orange: Bright colors are often a warning sign to predators that a butterfly is toxic or at least very bad-tasting. Some non-toxic orange butterflies use their colors to mimic other more poisonous species, in the hopes of fooling predators.

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) and Queen (Danaus gilippus): Both of these bright orange species are toxic to many predators. In their larval stage, they eat milkweed (Asclepias spp.) and sequester the toxins from these plants in their bodies. The bright orange colors warn predators of their toxicity.

          

Florida Viceroy (Limenitis archippus floridensis): The Viceroy resembles the Monarch and Queen and is in fact toxic, although its toxins come from a different larval host plant (willow). Viceroys are generally smaller than Monarchs.

 Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae):  Once again, bright coloration signifies toxicity, but the orange larvae of this species also have black spines (not harmful to humans) as an extra incentive for predators to avoid them.

              

Julia Longwing (Dryas iulia): Julias are more common found in South Florida, with Central Florida generally being considered the northern edge of their range.

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui): While Painted Ladies are not themselves toxic to predators, their orange coloration mimics species who are.

Orange Accents: While many butterflies have small orange spots on their underwings, others wear their orange accents more proudly. Strange as it may seem, these bright color markings can actually help with camouflage; flowers, leaves, and other foliage often share the rich orange hues, providing the perfect background against which a butterfly can virtually disappear.

Orange-Barred Sulphur (Phoebis philea) 
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe)

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae)

There are, of course, many other orange and orange-accented butterflies out there. Which is your favorite?