Question Mark Butterfly

Question Mark Butterfly(Polygonia interrogationis)By Krischana Lewis

Size, Coloration Wingspan: 5.7 cm to 7.6 cmTop side is reddish orange with black dots and black hind wing ( summer form) and orange (winter form).The underside is light brown, looks like a dead leaf.

Photo by Tom Murray

Photo by Frank Model

Photo by Frank Model

Habitat Type Lives in wooded areas with some open space.Found in southern Canada, the Rocky Mountains and the eastern United States.

(wisconsinbutterflies.org)

Communication Butterflies communicate with each other through color, chemical signals, sound, and physical actions.

Photo courtesy of Alan Wormington

Diet and Feeding BehaviorLarval food plants include elms, nettles, hackberries and hops.Adult butterflies tend to eat rotting fruit, dung, and carrion. This butterfly does not feed on milkweed or flowers unless it can not find other food.

Photo by Marilyn Schmidling

Types of MovementsThe winter form flies in the spring until the of May.The summer form flies from June to September. Migrates from the north to the south when the whether becomes to cold.

Photo by Jeffrey Glassberg

Photo From: (naba.org)

Enemies and Defensive Behavior Natural Enemies Six types of tachinid fly parasitoids Five types of hymenopterous parasitoids

(http://mobugs.blogspot.com/)

Caterpillar and Butterfly DefenseCaterpillars use poision, camouflage, eyespots, hiding and bad smell to protect. Butterflies use camouflage, poison, mimicry and flying to defend themselves against predators.

(bybio.wordpress.com)

Social or Solitary BehaviorButterflies are mostly solitary creatures. Occasionally two butterflies can be seen together.A group of butterflies is known as a flutter.Small groups gather around sap flows.

Question mark and Northern Pearly Eye

Tiger Swallowtail and Pipevine Swallowtail

Photos from: easttennesseewildflowers.com

Reproductive BehaviorQuestion Marks lay two broods of eggs, one in the summer and one in the winter.The summer brood develops into the winter form.The winter brood develops into the summer form.

(obsessionwithbutterflies.com)

Video of two question mark butterlies mating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L7okN-Uz3w

Life CycleQuestion Marks go through a process known as metamorphosis. Which includes four stages: embryo (eggs), larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis) & imago (butterfly).

(Photo From: lightbulbbooks.com)

Research Research was conducted on how color affects the feeding habits of butterflies.Red, yellow and black landing pads were covered with honey.Most preferred the red landing pad. Butterflies that feed on fruit preferred fermented bananas.

Photo by Kris H. Light

Andrew Williams