Soldier - Hodges#4616
Danaus eresimus
This record describes Danaus eresimus (species). Recorded family: Nymphalidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Dorsal, very similar to the Queen , with slightly darker veins. Male has a black dot on each HW. Ventral, black veins on both FW and HW, Queen only has black veins on HW. Soldiers are the only one in the genus that has pale squarish spots forming a concentric postmedian band. Tropical species that began colonizing Florida in the 1970's. The Florida Soldiers come from an Antillean population, and the Texas Soldiers originated in Mexico. In the summer, Soldiers sometimes stray north to NC.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
- Subfamily
- Danainae
- Tribe
- Danaini
- Genus
- Danaus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Found in many different open areas with their host plant, nectar sources, or pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
Geographic Range
mostly so. TX, so. FL / W. Indies / Mexico to Brazil - Map (MPG) ( 4 ) ( 5 ) a few strays are reported north of their southern range each fall.
Seasonal Activity
North to Orland in the summer, all year in south Florida with 3+ broods, most common October-December.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Milkweeds A. curassavica, A. tomentosa , twinevines - Funastrum (=Sarcostemma) clausumi, Funastrum (=Sarcostemma) cynanchoides , Cynanchum racemosum and latexplant - Morrenia odorata (Asclepiadaceae) "I've never had Soldiers oviposit on Tropical Milkweed, although larvae readily eat it. They typically oviposit on Cynanchum or Sarcostemma . (Dale Clark, pers. comm. to MAQ, 2013)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: eresis - Greek for 'take' ( 3 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Danaus eresimus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Soldier - Hodges#4616 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Alan Chin Lee; Additional contributions by cotinis , tom murray , Mike Quinn , Maury Heiman , David Ferguson
Frequently Asked Questions About Soldier - Hodges#4616
What is Soldier - Hodges#4616?
Soldier - Hodges#4616 (Danaus eresimus) is a species in the family Nymphalidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Soldier - Hodges#4616?
wingspan ~8 cm
How do you identify Soldier - Hodges#4616?
Dorsal, very similar to the Queen , with slightly darker veins. Male has a black dot on each HW. Ventral, black veins on both FW and HW, Queen only has black veins on HW. Soldiers are the only one in the genus that has pale squarish spots forming a concentric postmedian band.
Where is Soldier - Hodges#4616 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Found in many different open areas with their host plant, nectar sources, or pyrrolizidine alkaloids. |
| Range | mostly so. TX, so. FL / W. Indies / Mexico to Brazil - Map (MPG) ( 4 ) ( 5 ) a few strays are reported north of their southern range each fall. |
What does Soldier - Hodges#4616 eat?
The diet of the Soldier - Hodges#4616 includes Milkweeds A. curassavica, A. tomentosa , twinevines - Funastrum (=Sarcostemma) clausumi, Funastrum (=Sarcostemma) cynanchoides , Cynanchum racemosum and latexplant - Morrenia odorata (Asclepiadaceae) I've never had Soldiers oviposit on Tropical Milkweed, although larvae readily eat it. They typically oviposit on Cynanchum or Sarcostemma . (Dale Clark, pers. comm. to MAQ, 2013).
When is Soldier - Hodges#4616 active?
Soldier - Hodges#4616: seasonal activity - North to Orland in the summer, all year in south Florida with 3+ broods, most common October-December..