Outdoor Ontario

Wildlife Reports => Toronto Wildlife => Topic started by: Trillian Flummox on June 03, 2013, 05:01:34 PM

Title: Monarch Butterfly - NOT!!
Post by: Trillian Flummox on June 03, 2013, 05:01:34 PM

Spotted my first two Monarchs today near the Rouge. Were they late this year?  Are their numbers just low?  Here's the photo evidence. Yes you can mock my amazing photography skills.  -kris  :D

Title: Re: Monarch Butterfly
Post by: gary yankech on June 03, 2013, 08:14:47 PM

haven't seen one yet this year.....usually around this time.

Title: Re: Monarch Butterfly
Post by: Bill & Jaye on June 03, 2013, 08:48:02 PM

I saw two MB last Friday May 31 near Rockton Ont.
Lets hope this years migration matches the timing of the food from the milkweeds.

Title: Re: Monarch Butterfly
Post by: Howieh on June 03, 2013, 10:02:37 PM

Hi Kris,

I can't comment on the other one but the butterfly in the photograph is actually a viceroy! :)

Title: Re: Monarch Butterfly
Post by: Trillian Flummox on June 04, 2013, 07:36:34 AM

Ba ha!  Glad my bad photo was useful enough for proper id.  Now I'm not sure about the other one either since they weren't together, and obviously I can't tell the difference anyway!  Are Viceroys maybe a little smaller?  What is the distinguishing feature that told you that blurry butterfly was a Viceroy?

Thanks,

Kris   :oops:

Title: Re: Monarch Butterfly - NOT!!
Post by: newfoundlander61 on June 04, 2013, 08:58:42 AM

Here is an image I took a while back showing the difference between both species.

(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2473/3911233220_ecb1f34f92_o.jpg)

Top: Monarch - Milkweed Butterfly
Bottom: Viceroy - Brushfoots family of butterflies
The term mimicry is commonly applied to the resemblance of one insect (called the mimic) to another (called the model) so that a third insect or other observer is deceived into confusing the two.The Viceroy Butterfly belongs to an entirely different family of butterflies but resembles the Monarch so closely in color, shape and markings that it serves as a classical example of mimicry in nature. Both species are distasteful to predators.
Presquile Park Brighton Ontario