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 49 - 72 of 8946 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 03, 2024
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Rowan County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 09, 2024
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 07, 2024
Observation date: Jun 16, 2021
Submitted by: moosemdg
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 31, 2024
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: moosemdg
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 31, 2024
Observation date: Jul 16, 2024
Submitted by: Benjamin Miller
Region: Knox County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 28, 2024
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 25, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 24, 2024
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: Celjoh
Region: Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 24, 2024
Observation date: Jul 18, 2024
Submitted by: stylishsandwich
Region: Highland County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 23, 2024
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 21, 2024
Observation date: Jul 15, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 18, 2024
Observation date: Jul 06, 2024
Submitted by: Puccini
Region: Johnson County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 15, 2024
Observation date: Jul 04, 2024
Submitted by: lmsmith7677
Region: Clay County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 11, 2024
Observation date: May 01, 2024
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
Observation date: Apr 22, 2024
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
Observation date: Jun 30, 2024
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Buffalo County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 02, 2024
Observation date: Jun 28, 2024
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Wichita County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 28, 2024
Observation date: Jun 14, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 22, 2024
Observation date: Jun 16, 2024
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jun 17, 2024
Observation date: Jun 11, 2024
Submitted by: Gingurr25
Region: Posey County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 11, 2024
Observation date: Oct 13, 2023
Submitted by: billmaciejko
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jun 11, 2024
Observation date: May 14, 2024
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Nov 08, 2022
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
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