Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Subspecies Limenitis archippus archippus - Viceroy

Viceroy - Limenitis archippus - female Viceroy - Limenitis archippus Limenitis archippus - Viceroy feeding on willow sap - Limenitis archippus Viceroy - Limenitis archippus Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)? - Limenitis archippus Viceroy - Limenitis archippus Limenitis archippus Limenitis archippus? - Limenitis archippus
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)
Family Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Subfamily Limenitidinae (Admirals, Sisters)
Tribe Limenitidini (Admirals, Sisters and Sailors)
Genus Limenitis (Admirals & Viceroy)
Species archippus (Viceroy - Hodges#4523)
Subspecies archippus (Viceroy)
Other Common Names
Eastern Viceroy (a bit of a misnomer, since it is found west into the Rockies)
Numbers
one of 5 subspecies in North America listed at All-Leps, and the only one in Canada
Size
wingspan 53-81 mm (CBIF)
Identification
Adult: wings orange with black veins and black line crossing upper surface of hindwing
Range
Northwest Territories to Nova Scotia, south in the west to northern states, south in the east to central Georgia
Remarks
much of the information on the Viceroy species page (e.g. Habitat, Season, Food, Life Cycle) also applies to this subspecies
See Also
subspecies L. a. floridensis occurs in Florida and southern Georgia; it has darker (brownish) wings and resembles the Queen (Danaus gilippus) - see:


subspecies L. a. obsoleta occurs in Arizona, California, Utah (and perhaps adjacent states?); the black line on its hindwing is edged basally with white spots on upper and lower surfaces (see photos)
other subspecies of the Viceroy occur in the southern and western states - see species page for type specimen localities
Internet References
pinned adult image plus description, distribution, foodplants, biology, flight season, habits, remarks (CBIF)
common name reference taken from SC-NABN (The International Lepidoptera Survey, The Taxonomic Report)