What is the Danainae?
Q: What is the Danainae?
A: The Danainae is a subfamily of butterflies.
Q: What family does the Danainae belong to?
A: The Danainae belongs in the family Nymphalidae.
Q: How many species of butterflies are there in the Danainae subfamily?
A: There are over 200 species of butterflies in the Danainae subfamily.
Q: What are some common names for the Danainae butterflies?
A: The Danainae butterflies are commonly known as Milkweed butterflies or danaids.
Q: What do Milkweed butterflies eat as larvae?
A: Milkweed butterflies (Monarch, Queen, Soldier) eat only milkweeds (Asclepias) as larvae.
Q: What is the defence strategy of Milkweed butterflies?
A: The defence strategy of Milkweed butterflies is that they become distasteful to predators by getting poisonous glycosides from their larval host plant, the milkweed.
Q: What is the purpose of the male anal hairs in the Danainae subfamily?
A: The male anal hairs in the Danainae subfamily can be pulled back inside the body and are used during courtship to release scents to attract females.
