Red-Spotted Purple
Limenitis arthemis

Habitat: Open woodlands, forest edges, meadows, shorelines.

Range: Eastern Dakotas and northeast Colorado, east to southern New England, south to central Florida, west to Arizona and Mexico.

Facts: The coloring of the Red-Spotted Purple mimics the toxic Pipevine swallowtail butterfly gaining it protection from birds. It may hybridize with the White Admiral producing partially banded offspring. To some butterfly experts, the Red-Spotted Purple and White Admiral are actually the same species.