Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Common Buckeye Butterfly

By: Tom Berg

Fall is almost over already and winter is approaching.  But not long ago some of our most beautiful butterflies were still active.  These are the Buckeye butterflies.  Their range includes most of the eastern half of the United States, the warm southwestern states, most of California and much of southern Canada.  They are very common sights in the Midwest from late-summer through October, and in southern states they can still be seen right now.  In fact, many buckeye butterflies from northern areas actually migrate south as the colder weather arrives.

Buckeye butterflies are a nice chocolate brown color, with many other colors on their wings, too.  Orange, white, blue, pink and black are all present, and several distinct eyespots really grab your attention.  Those cool eyespots are multi-colored, as well.  It is thought that the large eyespots help to ward off predators and keep the butterfly safe.  Of course, it is not a foolproof defense!

Another defensive mechanism of these butterflies is that as caterpillars, they ingest certain types of glycosides from the plants they eat.  These glycosides taste bitter to predators like birds, ants and other predatory insects, which makes the buckeye a less desirable meal.  As a side benefit to the buckeye caterpillar, eating glycoside-rich plants tends to stimulate their growth, too!

Buckeyes, as they are commonly called, can be found in a variety of habitats.  They prefer open, sunny areas with plenty of vegetation and mixed trees.  Parks, gardens and pastures are good places to find them, along with creek banks that are not too overgrown.  Adult females look for their favorite host plants where they can lay their eggs, such as plantain, false foxglove, toadflax and American blueheart, just to name a few.

There are typically multiple generations of buckeye butterflies each year, especially in the southern areas of the USA where the weather stays warm all year.  These butterflies are beautiful and unforgettable, and many people believe they are a symbol of good luck.  So consider yourself lucky the next time you see one!

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