red-spotted purple

not listed

N5 - Secure

S5 - Secure

not listed

Red-spotted purple is a large brush-footed butterfly with a 3″ to 3½″ wingspan.

The upper side is dark blue, the underside is dark brown. The upper side of the forewing is dark bluish-black near the body fading to dark brown or orangish-brown near the tip. There is a submarginal row of orange spots and three marginal rows white or pale blue spots. The upper side of the hindwing is dark blue fading to a submarginal row of iridescent light blue spots. There are also three marginal rows pale blue spots.

The underside of both wings is brownish-black with a submarginal row of orange spots and three marginal rows white or pale blue spots. There are additional black-ringed orange spots near the base of each wing.

The range of this species overlaps that of the white admiral (Limenitis arthemis arthemis) in a broad band from Connecticut to southwestern Minnesota. Where the ranges overlap the subspecies interbreed and produce offspring with intergrading characteristics.

Wingspan: 3″ to 3¼″

Deciduous or mixed forests dominated by aspen or birch.

Late May to early September

The female lays eggs singly on leaf tips of host plants. Offspring of the first brood emerge in August. The offspring of the second brood overwinter as caterpillars in rolled leaves, pupate in the spring, and emerge as adults in June.

Leaves of American basswood, aspen, birch, black cherry, hawthorn, oak, serviceberry, willow, and other trees.

Sap flows, rotting fruit, aphid honeydew, carrion, dung, and occasionally nectar from small white flowers including meadowsweet and arrowwood.

Sources

4, 7, 21, 24, 29, 30, 82.

Rare

It landed on my common milkweed which is heavily covered with aphid honeydew. The milkweed grows in my backyard vegetable garden. It's a beautiful butterfly that I have never seen before today.

Spotted in front yard rocks.

Sand Dunes State Forest surprise

Freshly emerged from the cocoon.

My first time seeing one in our garden. A true beauty!

First time I’ve seen this beauty in my garden

Never seen one before.....beautiful!!

Fresh

Tattered

Location: Cannon Falls MN

Location: Rochester, MN

It landed on my common milkweed which is heavily covered with aphid honeydew. The milkweed grows in my backyard vegetable garden. It's a beautiful butterfly that I have never seen before today.

Location: Edina, MN

Location: Westwood Nature Center, St. Louis Park, MN

I took this photo on August 1st at Westwood Nature Center in St Louis Park, MN. I believe it is a Red-Spotted Purple Swallowtail.

Location: Woodbury, MN

Location: Brooklyn Park, Mn

Spotted in front yard rocks.

Location: Richville MN

Location: Sherburne

Sand Dunes State Forest surprise

Location: Noerenberg Memorial Gardens - Three Rivers Park District, Crystal Bay, Lake Minnetonka MN

Here is one more photo I shot at the end of July at the gardens at Crystal Bay on Lake Minnetonka, MN. It is exquisite!

Location: Edina, MN

Freshly emerged from the cocoon.

Location: Lake Phalen, Saint Paul, Ramsey County MN

My first time seeing one in our garden. A true beauty!

Location: Edina

Discovered this in my backyard floating between the cherry, aspen and basswood trees!

Location: Richfield, MN

First time I’ve seen this beauty in my garden

Location: Ramsey, MN, near the Mississippi River

Never seen one before.....beautiful!!