What is Queen (butterfly)?
{{Taxobox | name = Queen | image = Butterfly House 2.JPG | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Arthropod]]a | classis = [[Insect]]a | ordo = [[Lepidoptera]] | familia = [[Nymphalidae]] | subfamilia = [[Danainae]] | tribus = [[Danaini]] | genus = ''[[Danaus (genus)|Danaus]]'' | species = '''''D. gilippus''''' | binomial = ''Danaus gilippus'' | binomial_authority = ([[Pieter Cramer|Cramer]], 1775) }} The '''Queen''' (''Danaus gilippus'') is a [[species]] of [[butterfly]]. It [[wikt:belong|belongs]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Nymphalidae]]. It is found in [[North America]], [[Central America]], and [[South America]].<ref name=jpbkk>Jim P. Brock and Kenn Kaufman (2003). ''Butterflies of North America.'' Houghton Mifflin, New York, NY. {{ISBN|0618254005}}</ref><ref name=jg>Jeffery Glassberg (2007). ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America.'' Sunstreak Books Inc. {{ISBN|1424-30915-8}}</ref> ==Description== The upper side of the [[wing]]s is dark reddish-brown. It has black wing borders. Males have an androconium (a spot that releases scents to [[wikt:attract|attract]] females) on each of his hind wings (bottom wings). The underside of the wings is reddish-brown. The wings have black borders. There are white spots in the black borders. The hind wing has black [[vein]]s.<ref name=jpbkk/> == Mimicry == The Queen is one species in a complex [[mimicry ring]]. Where their range overlaps, the appearance of these butterflies is similar. The Monarch (''[[Danaus plexippus]]'') is orange. It has thick, black veins.<ref name=jpbkk/> The Viceroy (''[[Limenitis archippus]]'') is smaller. It has thick, black veins. It has a black band across the hind wing.<ref name=jpbkk/> The Soldier (''[[Danaus eresimus]]'') has thin black veins. On the underside of the hind wing, there is a row of pale, square-shaped spots.<ref name=jpbkk/> Monarchs are bad-tasting and [[poison]]ous because they contain a [[chemical]] known as [[cardenolide]] (cardiac glycoside).<ref>Ruxton G.D. 2004. ''Avoiding attack: the evo