Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia Hübner, [1822]
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is brown. Forewing with 2 orange cell bars and 2 eyespots; part of white subapical band appears in the largest, lower eyespot. Hindwing has 2 eyespots; upper one is largest and contains a magenta crescent. Underside of hindwing is brown or tan in the wet season (summer) form and rose-red in the dry season (fall) form.
Wing Span: 1 5/8 - 2 3/4 inches (4.2 - 7 cm).
Life History: Males perch during the day on low plants or bare ground to watch for females, flying periodically to patrol or to chase other flying insects. Females lay eggs singly on leaf buds or on upperside of host plant leaves. Caterpillars are solitary and eat leaves. Caterpillars and adults overwinter but only in the south.
Flight: Two to three broods from May-October, throughout the year in the Deep South.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants from the snapdragon family including snapdragon (Antirrhinum) and toadflax (Linaria); the plantain family including plantains (Plantago); and the acanthus family including ruellia (Ruellia nodiflora).
Adult Food: Favorite nectar sources are composites including aster, chickory, gumweed, knapweed, and tickseed sunflower. Dogbane, peppermint, and other flowers are also visited.
Habitat: Open, sunny areas with low vegetation and some bare ground.
Range: Resident in the southern United States and north along the coasts to central California and North Carolina; south to Bermuda, Cuba, Isle of Pines, and southern Mexico. Adults from the south's first brood migrate north in late spring and summer to temporarily colonize most of the United States and parts of southern Canada. Comments: The eyespots may be used to scare away predators.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 8951 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 05, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 11, 2024
Observation date: Nov 25, 2024
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 05, 2024
Observation date: Nov 23, 2024
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 04, 2024
Observation date: Oct 21, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 01, 2024
Observation date: Oct 21, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 01, 2024
Observation date: Nov 22, 2024
Submitted by: starmans
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 24, 2024
Observation date: Oct 28, 2024
Submitted by: KABerry
Region: Fayette County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 15, 2024
Observation date: Sep 27, 2023
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Oct 04, 2004
Submitted by: RaquelRobles
Region: Cape May County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 13, 2024
Observation date: Nov 11, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 12, 2024
Observation date: Nov 11, 2024
Submitted by: indigobirding
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 12, 2024
Observation date: Oct 06, 2024
Submitted by: SusanPotomac
Region: Cape May County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 11, 2024
Observation date: Nov 11, 2024
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harper County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Nov 11, 2024
Observation date: Nov 08, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Nov 09, 2024
Observation date: Nov 04, 2024
Submitted by: craigdb
Region: Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Nov 05, 2024
Observation date: Oct 27, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 03, 2024
Observation date: Nov 01, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Nov 03, 2024
Observation date: Oct 24, 2024
Submitted by: Bambi E. Friedman
Region: Kings County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 25, 2024
Observation date: Oct 18, 2024
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 19, 2024
Observation date: Oct 22, 2022
Submitted by: katherinethegreat1
Region: Highlands County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 16, 2024
Observation date: Oct 02, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 15, 2024
Observation date: Oct 09, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 14, 2024
Observation date: Oct 11, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 14, 2024
Observation date: Oct 11, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 14, 2024
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