The Plain Tiger butterfly, scientifically known as Danaus chrysippus, is a widely distributed insect. This medium-sized butterfly is also commonly referred to as the African Monarch or African Queen due to its extensive presence across the African continent. Belonging to the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae, specifically the Danainae subfamily, it shares lineage with other well-known butterflies like the Monarch. Its broad geographical reach and distinctive features make it a recognizable and studied species.
Identification and Appearance
The Plain Tiger butterfly exhibits a striking appearance. Its wingspan measures between 70 to 80 millimeters, making it a medium-sized butterfly. The predominant coloration of its wings is an orange or tawny hue, providing a vibrant contrast to its black and white markings.
The forewings feature black tips with white spots, while the hindwings maintain the orange base color with a black border containing white spots. The body of the butterfly is black with white spots on the thorax, and its abdomen is tawny brown. While both sexes share a similar overall appearance, males often display a more prominent black marking near the center of each hindwing, which are scent glands that females lack.
Life Cycle and Habitat
The life cycle of the Plain Tiger butterfly progresses through four stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult butterfly. Females lay their small, pale yellow eggs singly on the underside of host plant leaves. The incubation period for eggs ranges from 3 to 5 days, after which larvae hatch.
The caterpillar undergoes five instar stages, growing from about 4 millimeters in the first instar to roughly 36 millimeters by the fifth instar. These larvae are brightly colored with black, yellow, and white bands and possess three pairs of filament-like structures. The larval stage lasts between 12 to 20 days, depending on environmental temperatures. The caterpillar then transforms into a chrysalis, which is green with golden spots and hangs freely. The pupal stage lasts 9 to 15 days, with the pupa’s color changing from pale green to dark brown as it matures.
The Plain Tiger butterfly is highly adaptable and thrives in diverse open habitats across Africa, Asia, and Australia, extending into parts of Southern Europe and Kuwait. It is commonly found in savannas, grasslands, open forests, urban gardens, and agricultural areas, generally preferring drier, wide-open environments over dense jungles. This species is also found in rocky areas, deserts, mountains, and along coasts.
Survival Strategies
The Plain Tiger butterfly employs survival strategies centered around its diet and coloration. Its larvae feed on plants from the milkweed family (Asclepiadaceae), including species like Asclepias curassavica and Calotropis gigantea. These host plants contain toxic compounds called cardenolides, which the caterpillars consume and store within their bodies.
These sequestered toxins render both the caterpillar and the adult butterfly unpalatable to most predators. The Plain Tiger’s bright orange and black coloration serves as a visual warning to potential predators, signaling its toxicity. This warning coloration is effective enough that other edible butterfly species, such as the Danaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus), have evolved to resemble the Plain Tiger, gaining protection by mimicking its appearance. This allows mimics to deter predators without possessing the actual toxins.