Queen caterpillar has three sets of “antennae.”
As mentioned in a previous post, one way to tell future Queen butterflies from Monarch butterflies-to-be is to observe them in the caterpillar stage. Queens have three sets of antennae-like protuberances, while Monarchs have two.
I say “antennae-like” because my friend and butterfly consultant, Dr. Daniel Najera, a PhD in Entomoloy from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, informs me that the word “antennae” is not appropriate for describing all of these interesting extensions.
Monarch caterpillar has two sets of “antennae”
Apparently antennae have special sensing powers while tentacles are just for show. Part of the reason for this is to throw off predators (and I’d like to think to amuse us observers). So technically (or should I say tentacle-ly?) only the set of protuberances on the head of the caterpillar are antennae, while the others are tentacles.
Got all that?
And now, for the photos. Queen–above. One set of antennae + two sets of tentacles = three antennae-like protuberances.
Monarch–below. One set of antennae + one set of tentacles = two antennae-like protuberances.
Glad we got all that straightened out.
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[…] How to tell the Difference between Future Monarch Butterflies and Future Queen Butterflies, Part II // This entry was posted in Monarch butterflies, Monarch butterfly caterpillars, Uncategorized, butterflies, butterfly life cycle, queen butterfly, queen caterpillar, queen chrysalis and tagged butterflies, butterfly life cycle, butterflybeat, monarch caterpillar, monarch chrysalis, queen butterfly, queen caterpillar, queen chyrsalis. Bookmark the permalink. ← Elegant Flowers, Unusual Seedpods and Host to the Sphinx Moth Make Jimsonweed a Butterfly Garden Favorite var OB_permalink='http://blog.mysanantonio.com/monikamaeckle/2011/09/monarch-butterflies-and-queen-butterflies-share-beauty-charm-and-a-gold-flecked-chrysalis-how-to-tell-the-difference/'; var OB_widgetId = 'AR_2'; var OB_Template = "mysa"; var OB_langJS = 'http://widgets.outbrain.com/lang_en.js'; if (typeof(OB_Script)!='undefined' ) { OutbrainStart(); } else { var OB_Script = true; var str = ""; document.write(str); } Monarch Butterflies and Queen Butterflies Share Beauty, Charm and a Gold-flecked Chrysalis: How to Tell the Difference Blogs Monarch butterflies get all the press as our most beloved species while the Queen, a close cousin, goes largely ignored. Life’s not fair, even for butterfly beauties. Upon close inspection, you’ll find that Queens share the charms of their closely related Monarch sisters, including large size, bright-striped caterpillars and chrysalises that resemble a gold-dotted […] Read More […]
what does an Edamane caterpillar turn into. My friends trailer in Crossplains TX was covered with them this morning. They are weekenders so do not know If they are still present.
Hello! Where would I find part one of this article please? Now that I know how to tell if a caterpillar is a Monarch or a Queen, I’d love to see the differences in the butterflies, please. I do not know if I’ve ever seen a Queen butterfly!
Thank you so much!
Traci Starkweather
[…] it doesn’t have the telltale longer front antennae like the Monarchs. Fun fact: Did you know Queen butterfly caterpillars look almost identical to Monarchs except they have three sets of antennae? One set at the front, […]