The Queen can be found ranging from Brazil to Florida and the Gulf Coast. It is also prevalent in the states of California, Texas, Arizona, and southern New Mexico. (Douglas, 1986; Ehrlich and Ehrlich, 1961; Holland, 1907)

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); neotropical (Native )

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) Texas west to Nevada and southern California, north to Oklahoma, east to Florida and southern Georgia, and south into Mexico.

The Queen resembles its close relative the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in various ways, but is smaller and the ground color of the wings is a darker brown. The forewings are long, greatly produced at the apex, and have a triangular outline. The hindwings are well rounded and smaller than the forewing. Black veins with white borders appear on the entire length of the hindwing while the forewing is not bordered with black on its inner margin like the Monarch. The light spots on the apex of the forewings are whiter and patterned differently than those of the Monarch as well. While male Monarchs are often the larger sex, in Queens, the female is larger. A Queen's wingspan averages 3 inches. Generally, this genus of butterflies (Danaus) has eggs which are ovate conical, broadly flattened at the base and slightly truncated at the top, with many longitudinal ribs and transverse cross-ridges. In the caterpillar stage, they have a small head and large, cylindrical, hairless body with dark stripes. The chrysalis is short, thick, rounded, tapers very quickly over the posterior of the abdomen, and is suspended by a long cremaster from a button of silk. It is frequently ornamented with golden spots. Member of this family have antennae that are unscaled. (Ehrlich and Ehrlich, 1961; Holland, 1907; Pyle, 1999)

Open, sunny areas, including fields, deserts, roadsides, pastures, dunes, washes, and waterways. Queens are known to migrate like the Monarch, but to a lesser extent. The stay mainly in warm climates year round. (Struttman 2000)

Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune ; savanna or grassland

Comments: General: deserts, coasts, prairies, watercourses, open woods, edges, with its hosts, Asclepias species and Sarcostemma hirtellum; probably also other milkweeds.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

The Queen larvae feed mostly on varieties of mildweed (Asclepias), and the members of this family are therefore called the "milkweed butterflies". They feed on Asclepias, Nerium, Funastum, Vincetoxicum, Philibertia, and Stapelia, which are all milkweeds. They are also known to feed off of the nightshade families (Solanaceae) and like the nectar plants Blue Mist, fogfruit, and shepherd's needle.

In times when nectar-bearing flowers are scarce, and competition is fierce, Queen butterflies have been seen probing the bases of grass inflorescences in Texas, but what they gain from this is yet to be discovered. (Douglas, 1986; Ehrlich and Ehrlich, 1961; Holland, 1907)

To find females, males patrol all day. Females lay eggs singly on leaves, stems, and flower buds, which the larvae will eat. Adults roost communally. Males have pheromones, specific scents, which aid in mating and attract females. (Struttman 2000)

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5- Demonstrably secure globally, though they may be quite rare in parts of their range, especially at the periphery. (Struttman 2000)

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

This species is not known to adversely affect humans.

This species has no known benefits for humans besides being aesthetically pleasing.