Queen
Danaus gilippus
Often mistaken for the Monarch, the Queen butterfly often outnumbers its orange relative. Absent only from East Texas, it can be found in large numbers throughout the rest of the state.
I probably have more pictures of this butterfly than any other thanks to the Greg’s Blue Mist flower planted in my backyard in San Angelo. They absolutely love that plant.
The Queen is a less common visitor to Houston, but is occasionally seen here.
The butterfly feeds on several plants, but as noted above, it is especially fond of different forms of Blue Mist. The caterpillars feed on milkweed.
Similar species: Monarch, Soldier
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Thanks for posting these lovely photos. I’m an artist searching for inspiration for an embroidery design. I have seen many of these same butterflies in Florida, but different ones also. If you want to catch a Cabbage White, plant some broccoli. They will be all over it, laying eggs!
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