Common Buckeye

Common Buckeye, Junonia coenia

The common buckeye gets its common name for the conspicuous target-shaped eyespots on its wings. It is one of the most distinctive of the North American butterflies. They have a large range from Mexico to Canada, California to North Carolina, and includes Bermuda, Cuba, and the Isle of Pines. While there are two to three broods each year from May to October, they occur throughout the year far south and are most often found in open areas such as fields, meadows, and coastal dunes. In late fall, an adult coloration called rosa appears with a red under-hindwing. Host plants for the larvae include false foxglove, plantain, toadflax, and twinflower while the adults love nectar from peppermint, gumweed, chickory, and aster. Mass migrations are common towards the end of summer.