Three different butterflies

 

 

That look a lot alike.

 

The primary one is the monarch.  It’s really distinctive and is poisonous to birds because of the milkweed it feeds on.  All of its white spots are on the black edges.

 

A butterfly that looks a lot like the Monarch is the Queen.  It’s tasty but birds mostly avoid it because it looks like a Monarch.  It has white spots on the black edges, but they’re also on the colorful part too.

 

The third is the Viceroy.  It isn’t poisonous to birds but it’s very bitter because it eats willow leaves.  The white spots are on the black edges, but it has that black bar across the lower wing that the others don’t.

 

The Viceroy is the one we just saw at Brazos Bend.