However, the Monarch is toxic, due to its diet of milkweed, while the Viceroy is non-toxic. Identification: Upperside is orange and black, resembling the Monarch (Danaus plexippus), except the Viceroy has a black line across the hindwing and a single row of white dots in the black marginal band. It may be the most familiar North American butterfly, and is considered an iconic pollinator species. Size Viceroys are smaller than monarchs, although this size difference may be difficult to see in the field. Monarch, Queen and Soldier are the three closely related butterflies that share its physical characteristics with the viceroy. The physical appearance of the viceroy butterfly changes dramatically according to the species with which it shares their habitat. The coloring and pattern of monarch and viceroy wings look nearly identical. However, a viceroy has a black line crossing the postmedian hindwing. This endangered species lives in oak savannas and pine barrens and is associated with wild lupine (Lupinus perennis, a plant that the caterpillar eats). Comparing wingspans: Viceroy: 2 1/2 - 3 3/8 inches (6.3 - … The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. The viceroy butterfly is an endangered animal. The viceroy butterfly exhibits physical resemblance to three species of genus Danaus. Because they are so similar, a predator often mistakes one for the other and avoids both since it assumes they are poisonous. The Karner Blue Butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) is a small, blue butterfly that has a wingspan of about 1 inch (2.5 cm). The Viceroy is a poisonous butterfly, just like the Monarch. It is an endangered animal because pesticides are killing them from the orchards. Prepona praeneste is the nominate, or main species, and buckleyana is the subspecies. The Viceroy butterfly Listed for protection in New Mexico, the viceroy is a cousin of the monarch and queen butterflies, mimicking the monarch that is poison to birds. The Monarch butterfly and the Viceroy butterfly are nearly identical and often mistaken for each other. Subfamily: Limenitidinae. A black line across the hindwing distinguishes it from the Monarch. Viceroy Butterfly Viceroy Butterfly Coloration and Size. Other common names depending on region include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black veined brown. The viceroy butterfly is not an endangered species. Viceroy Limenitis archippus (Cramer, 1776) Family: Nymphalidae. The viceroy butterfly does not eat milkweed, it is a mimic of the monarch butterfly which does eat milkweed. This helps keeps birds from eating them because monarch butterflies taste bitter and … Wings brownish to bright orange, with black veining. Like many rare or endangered butterflies, this animal is a subspecies of a kind of butterfly that isn't particularly rare, or has enough other variants as to make it fairly well-known. It is part of the arthropod phylum, and the class insecta.The viceroy is of the order Lepidoptera (which includes butterflies and moths), the family Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies), the genus Limentis, and the species archippus. People who own orchards will spray the fruit with pesticides to kill insects so they will not eat their fruit. Resembles the Monarch butterfly but smaller, and differs on hindwing: dark blue to black postmedian line and only a single line of black spots on margin (Seen below: (1) Monarch (2) Viceroy). The Viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus) is nearly identical to the Monarch butterfly.It has orange-brown wings with dark black veins. The viceroy butterfly, scientifically known as Limentis archippus, and classified as basilarchia archippus, is an endangered member of the animal kingdom.