Here's why you shouldn't judge a butterfly species by its wing coloration.

SUPPORT MINUTEEARTH

---

If you like what we do, you can help us!:

• Become our patron: https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth
• Share this video with your friends and family
• Leave us a comment (we read them!)

CREDITS

---

Video Concept and Writing: Rebecca Deatsman Narration: Emily Elert Illustration and Animation: Ever Salazar Music: Nathaniel Schroeder

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC https://neptunestudios.info

OTHER CREDITS

---

White Admiral - Photo by: Wikimedia user Limulus Limenitis arthemis astyanax - Wikimedia user Ks0stm Red Spotted Purple - Wikimedia user Saxophlute River rocks - Public Domain Photo Pipevine Swallowtail - Public Domain Photo Poison Symbol - Public Domain Image Monarch Butterfly - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Monarch butterfly catterpillar - Ryan E. Poplin Lagopus muta Winter - Ómar Runólfsson Lagopus muta Summer - Wikimedia user Boaworm Sexual dimorphism Mandarin - Francis C. Franklin Gray Wolf - Public Domain Photo Maltese Dog - Wikimedia user SheltieBoy Limenitis lorquini - Public Domain Photo Limenitis archippus - Gordon E. Robertson

OUR STAFF

---

Emily Elert • Alex Reich • Henry Reich Peter Reich • Ever Salazar • Kate Yoshida

OUR LINKS

---

Youtube | https://youtube.com/MinuteEarth TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@minuteearth Twitter | https://twitter.com/MinuteEarth Instagram | https://instagram.com/minute_earth Facebook | https://facebook.com/Minuteearth Website | https://minuteearth.com Apple Podcasts| https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/minuteearth/id649211176

REFERENCES

---

Andy Warren, pers. comm. July 29, 2014. https://twitter.com/rdeatsman/status/494195315449532417

Brock, J. P., & Kaufman, K. (2003). Field Guide to Butterflies of North America.T. Hillstar Editions LC Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY.

Platt, A.P. and Brower, L.P. 1968. Mimetic Versus Disruptive Coloration in Intergrading Populations of Limenitis arthemis and Astyanax Butterflies. Evolution, Vol. 22, No. 4: 699-718. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2406897

Platt, A.P. 1987. Banded admirals from western Maryland: analysis of the Limenitis (Basilarchia) arthemis-astyanax complex (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) at green ridge state forest. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 89: 633-645. http://biostor.org/reference/56212

Taxonomy of Red-Spotted Purple: http://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/limenitis_arthemis_astyanax.htm Taxonomy of White Admiral: http://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/limenitis_a_arthemis.htm Info and Photos of Red-Spotted Purple: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/red-spotted_purple.htm