Butterfly Gardening -- Milkweeds

monarch

Monarch
Danaus plexippus

Habitat: Open fields and gardens.
Flight: Most common in early spring and late fall, although may be found throughout the year.
Preferred Foods: Visit milkweeds (Asclepias) and composites.
Larvae: Feed on scarlet milkweed (Asclepias curassuvica) and Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum).
Distribution: All of Florida.

queen

Queen
Danaus gilippus berenice

Habitat: Open fields and woods.
Flight: All year. Migrates from north Florida August to October.
Preferred Foods: Visits milkweed, Spanish Needle (Bidens pilosa) and fog fruit (Lippia nodiflora).
Larvae: Feed on butterflyweed (Asclepia tuberosa), other milkweeds, white vine (Sarcostemma clausa) and oleander (Nerium oleander).
Distribution: All of Florida.

soldier

Soldier (Tropic Queen)
Danaus eresimus tethys

Habitat: Open subtropical woodlands and open fields.
Flight: February to October; sometimes common.
Preferred Foods: Visits many flowers.
Larvae: On white vine, other Asclepiadaceae and West Indian pinkroot (Spigelia anthelmia) (Loganiaceae).
Distribution: Tropical Florida.