NO. 002
Butterflies
Viceroy
Black line crosses each hindwing
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NO. 001
Illustration · not shown at life size
Illustration · not shown at life sizeButterflies / Insect
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
Look for orange wings crisscrossed with black. A monarch starts life as a caterpillar that eats milkweed.
Let’s look closerLittle clues
Three things to notice.
Orange wings with black veins.
White spots along wing edges.
Caterpillars eat milkweed.
Out in the world
Where to look.
Around southeastern Wisconsin
Flower gardens and meadows.
When to look
Summer into fall. Late-summer adults make the long journey south.
Look closely. Leave your tiny neighbor where you found it.
A closer look
Monarch or viceroy?
Look at the back wings. A viceroy has an extra black line across each one. A monarch does not.
Compare with the viceroy →A special find can be hard to spot without being biologically rare. Encounters depend on season and habitat.
Keep exploring
Meet the neighbors.
For curious grownups, too
Read a little further.
Original summaries, with references for deeper reading.
Make a creature disc
Artwork & downloads.
Drag a PNG image into xTool Studio, or use its download button. Images use the full-resolution files.
Relief depth PNG — prototype
Matches this front · dark lettering 0.5 mm, outline 0.1 mm at 1 mm maximum
Download PNG
Front artwork is made for a 3-inch clear disc. The Monarch artwork and relief have passed a user print check; the enlarged layout and outlined lettering are a new revision. Revised artwork still needs a physical check. Disc backs are blank; use the single carrier QR from the print studio to open the field guide.
Visit the print studio →