Milkweed-butterfly
Guides
Danaus eresimus
Soldier, Tropical Queen
Danaus eresimus, commonly known as the Soldier or Tropical Queen, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae distributed across North America, the Caribbean, and South America. It is a milkweed butterfly that sequesters cardiac glycosides from host plants for chemical defense. The species is closely related to the Monarch and Queen butterflies, sharing similar orange and black coloration but distinguished by specific wing pattern details. It has been documented utilizing multiple Apocynaceae species as larval hosts, including a recently recorded association with Telminostelma foetidum in Oaxaca, Mexico.