Monarch Butterflies Queen or Monarch? It's a Cinch! Contributed by Carol Cullar Rio Bravo Nature Center Foundation Eagle Pass, Texas A fellow monarch enthusiast asked: But how do you tell queens and monarchs apart? I had to confess that I couldn't at first. But after almost ten years of "monarching," I began to use a technique used by birdwatchers. They can look at a far away bird or a bird against the light and still tell you "that's a flycatcher" or there goes a sharpie!" Their two techniques are silhouette of the form and, even more telling, characteristic flight, perching position, and species behavior. Monarchs don't behave like Queens and vice versa. Generally, Monarchs are a bit larger than Queens. This could account for their slightly slower wing-beats. Monarchs seem measured and dignified as they fly. If I see a Daneus that is acting "silly" — fluttering its wings rapidly or jinking around (bouncing side to side or up and down) — then I know it's a Queen. If I see a Daneus flying about 18" to 24" off the ground, it's usually a Queen. Monarchs tend to fly further above the ground: not when ovipositing, but when migrating. If one is close enough to the butterfly to see some color, then the general over-all appearance of the Queen is more uniformly brown or golden tawny tan than the Monarch. I don't see Queens clustering. That's Monarch behavior. What about their eggs? I can't tell them apart. Caterpillars? Queens have an extra set of feelers in the middle of their bodies and down here in SW Texas we're seeing more and more Queen caterpillars with gorgeous deep maroon coloration between their other colored stripes. Queen Danaus gilippus Monarch Danaus plexippus (More >>) (More >>)

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