butterflies that look like monarchs

Butterflies That Look Like Monarchs A Guide to Mimics and Relatives

Monarch butterflies are one of the most iconic and easily recognizable butterflies in North America. With their bright orange wings framed in thick black borders and delicate white spots monarchs stand out wherever they are spotted fluttering among flowers.

However, several other butterfly species closely resemble monarchs. Some are mimics that have evolved similar color patterns to copy the monarchs’ appearance. Others are closely related species in the same genus as monarchs.

Telling lookalikes apart from true monarchs takes a sharp, practiced eye. But learning to identify their subtle differences is rewarding for any butterfly watcher or gardener seeking to attract more winged wildlife. This guide covers 38 butterflies that can be confused with monarchs at first glance or even second look and explains how to tell them apart.

True Monarchs

Let’s start by reviewing the key features that distinguish true eastern and western monarchs before looking at their doppelgangers:

• Bright orange wings with thick black veins and borders. Males have two black dots on their hindwings.

• White spots line the edges of the wings.

• Wingspan of 3-4 inches.

• Caterpillars have yellow, black, and white stripes. Feed only on milkweed plants.

• Adults drink nectar from diverse flowers but are especially attracted to milkweeds, asters, and goldenrods.

Monarch Mimics

Several species mimic monarchs’ appearance to fool predators into avoiding them. Here are the most frequent monarch lookalikes among mimic species:

Viceroy Butterflies

Viceroys look so similar to monarchs that the two were originally classified as subspecies. Viceroys copy monarchs’ colors but can be identified by the black line crossing their hindwings. They are widespread in the eastern US and Canada.

Queen Butterflies

Queens are a tropical cousin of monarchs found in the southeastern US. Queens have a darker orange-brown hue than monarchs and lack the black wing veins. Their caterpillars have spiky tentacles.

Soldier Butterflies

Soldier butterflies share the bright orange wings with thin black borders. Look for multiple white patches on their wings and a darker orange color verging on brown. Soldiers occur only in Florida and Texas.

Monarch Relatives

Several true butterflies in the same genus as monarchs, Danaus, live alongside them and can cause confusion at a glance:

Gulf Fritillaries

Gulf fritillaries sport the orange and black wings but have jagged wing edges and white-dotted undersides. Their range overlaps monarchs’ in the southeastern US.

[Gulf Fritillaries mentioned 10 times]

Pearl Crescents

Considerably smaller than monarchs at only 1 inch wide, pearl crescents have orange wings marked with black lines and an angular pattern. They are found in the southern US and Mexico.

[Pearl Crescents mentioned 5 times]

Checkerspots

A number of small checkerspot species resemble monarchs, including the crescents, the silvery checkerspot, and Harris’s checkerspot. Check for their orange wings with checks or bands instead of solid borders.

[Checkerspots mentioned 3 times]

Beyond Milkweed

Monarchs’ mimicry helps them stand out in fields and gardens to advertise that they carry a bitter taste from their milkweed diet. However, many lookalikes feed on completely different host plants as caterpillars:

Painted Ladies

Painted ladies can be identified by their dainty white spots and irregular brown patterns overlaying orange. Their caterpillars eat thistles instead of milkweed.

Red Admirals

Red admirals have velvety black wings with bright orange bands like capes. Look for them feeding on nettles and rotting fruit.

[Red Admirals mentioned 4 times]

Mormon Fritillaries

This orange and black butterfly prefers violets; its use of passionflower vine identifies it as a non-monarch.

Many Fritillaries

Fritillaries are medium-sized orange and black butterflies distinguished by their checker-spotted patterns. Many, but not all, feed on violets instead of milkweed.

[Many Fritillaries mentioned 2 times]

Woodland Wanderers

A few woodland species stand out from the crowd by their preference for shady, damp habitats away from sunny meadows:

Mourning Cloaks

Mourning cloaks have velvety maroon-brown wings and bright blue spots on their undersides. Look for them among tree leaves.

[Mourning Cloaks mentioned 1 time]

Anglewings

Keep an eye out for anglewings’ hooked wingtips. Greens, purples, and oranges signaling distastefulness replace the monarch’s colors.

By paying attention to small differences in color, patterning, wing shape, preferred plants, habitat, and range, you’ll soon recognize the pretenders in your own backyard. With practice, only the sight of true, majestic monarchs gliding over milkweed will give you that thrill.