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Common Buckeye

Common Buckeye

Junonia coenia

Least Concern

Quick Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Abundance: Abundant
Habitat: Grassland, Urban
Activity: Diurnal (Active during day)

A colorful, recognizable butterfly known for the eye spots on its wings. The wings of the adults are brown with a pair of eye spots on each wing. The forewings also have 2 orange cell bars and white bands. Buckeye caterpillars have a complex pattern. They are mostly black and their sides have white markings and red-orange spots. They have spines running lengthwise along their back and sides.

Diet

Caterpillars feed on a variety of plants including the narrowleaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata), the common greater plantain (Plantago major), blue toadflax, false foxglove, Mexican petunia (Ruellia species), the firecracker plant, and Cudweed. Adults feed on nectar from composite flowers including aster, chickory, gumweed, knapweed, and tickseed sunflower.

Activity Pattern

Diurnal (Active during day)
Kingdom: Animalia
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Phylum: Arthropoda
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Class: Insecta
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Order: Lepidoptera
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Family: Nymphalidae
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Genus: Junonia
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Species: Junonia coenia

Scientific Name

Junonia coenia
Migration Pattern
Common buckeyes in the northern range move south after the cold fronts from September or October and migrate back during the spring.

Behavior

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. Common buckeye caterpillars feed in isolation rather than relying upon grouping behaviors. Caterpillars and adults overwinter but only in the south.

Activity Pattern

Diurnal (Active during day)

Habitat Types

Grassland
Urban

Geographic Distribution

Its range covers much of North America and some of Central America, including most of the eastern half of the US, the lower to middle Midwest, the Southwest (including most of California), southern Canada, and Mexico.

Local Abundance

Abundant

Conservation Status

Least Concern

This species is widespread and abundant. No immediate threat to survival.

How You Can Help

  • Report sightings to contribute to population monitoring
  • Support habitat conservation efforts
  • Follow guidelines when observing wildlife
No field notes or observations available for this species.

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