Lorquin's admiral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lorquin's admiral |
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The Lorquin's admiral (Limenitis lorquini) is a beautiful butterfly. It belongs to a group of butterflies called the Nymphalinae subfamily. This butterfly got its name from Pierre Joseph Michel Lorquin. He was a French scientist who explored California during the Gold Rush and found many new things about nature there.
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What Does It Look Like?
The Lorquin's admiral has wings that are mostly brown and black. Each wing has a line of white spots across it. The tips of its front wings are bright orange. These butterflies can have a wingspan of about 47 to 71 millimeters. Female butterflies are usually a bit bigger than the males.
Where Do They Live?
You can find the Lorquin's admiral butterfly in many places. They live from the warmer Upper Sonoran areas up to the cooler Canadian Zone. This includes places like western Montana and Idaho. They are also found in southern British Columbia (including Vancouver Island) and parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta in Canada.
Their Favorite Homes
These butterflies like to live in places where forests meet open areas. They enjoy mountain canyons, parks, and areas near streams. You might also spot them near fences, in fruit orchards, or among groups of cottonwood and poplar trees.
What Do They Eat?
Lorquin's admirals usually feed on nectar from plants like California buckeye and yerba santa. They also like to sip on privet. Sometimes, they even get nutrients from bird droppings and animal dung! These butterflies are quite protective of their space. They will even chase away larger birds that come too close to their home.
Life Cycle: From Egg to Butterfly
The journey of a Lorquin's admiral starts as a tiny egg. The female butterfly lays her eggs on or near the tips of leaves.
Butterfly Babies (Larvae)
When the eggs hatch, out come the larvae, which are like caterpillars. These larvae are usually yellow with a white patch on their back. They love to munch on leaves from certain trees. Their favorite foods include willow trees (Salix), poplar trees, cherry trees (Prunus), and cottonwood trees (Populus). They also enjoy leaves from fruit trees like cherry, apple, and plum.
When Do They Fly?
The Lorquin's admiral butterflies are usually active from April to October. The exact time depends on where they live. Butterflies in northern areas often have one group of babies (called a brood) each year. This usually happens between June and August. But in warmer southern areas, especially in California, butterflies can have several broods throughout the year.
Similar Butterflies
Here are some other butterflies that look a bit like the Lorquin's admiral:
- California sister butterfly (Adelpha bredowii californica)
- Weidemeyer's admiral (L. weidemeyerii)
- White admiral (L. arthemis)
