Butterflies come in a huge variety of colors and patterns. While many butterflies have bright, striking colors to attract mates or warn off predators, some butterflies are more drab or camouflaged. So do entirely black butterflies exist in nature? The quick answer is yes, there are some butterfly species that are completely or almost completely black. Keep reading to learn more about these all-black butterflies and why they evolved this unique coloration.
Types of All Black Butterflies
Here are some of the main butterfly species that can have completely black or almost black wings:
– Pipevine Swallowtail: The Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) is a large swallowtail butterfly found in North and Central America. The upperwings of both males and females are jet black. The undersides may have some metallic blue scaling.
– Black Swallowtail: The Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) is a common swallowtail across much of North America. The female form is completely black except for some faint yellow dots, while males have yellow bands and spots on a black background.
– Anise Swallowtail: Some female Anise Swallowtails (Papilio zelicaon) are melanic or “black morphs”, appearing entirely black except for faint yellow scaling. This morph is more common in certain areas.
– Red-spotted Purple: Female Red-spotted Purples (Limenitis arthemis) can be a very dark blackish-brown above with few or no white spots on the underside. From a distance they can appear solid black.
– Mourning Cloak: The Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) has dark maroon-brown wings above with a jagged yellow edge. When wings are closed, they appear black from a distance.
– Viceroy: Female Viceroys (Limenitis archippus) are a very dark brown and resemble the monarch’s black cousin from above. All black viceroys may exist but are extremely rare.
– Monarch: Very rarely, melanic black morphs of the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) have been reported. But the vast majority are the familiar orange and black.
So in summary, Pipevine Swallowtails, female Black Swallowtails, melanic Anise Swallowtails, female Red-spotted Purples, Mourning Cloaks, female Viceroys, and very rarely Monarchs can appear all black or nearly black in color. But this is not the normal coloration for most of these species.
Reasons for Black Coloration
There are a few key reasons why some butterflies evolved to be black or nearly black in color:
– Camouflage: Having black wings can help certain butterflies blend into their natural surroundings, like dark forests or burned landscapes. This helps hide them from predators.
– Mimicry: Some black butterflies mimic species that are toxic to predators, like the Pipevine Swallowtail mimicking the poisonous Pipevine Swallowtail female. This deters predators from eating them.
– Temperature Regulation: Darker wings help butterflies absorb more heat from the sun. This allows them to raise their body temperature high enough to be active earlier in the day.
– Melanism: In some species like the Monarch, random genetic mutations can cause excess black pigments, resulting in melanic black morphs. If this helps their survival, it may be naturally selected.
So in most cases, the black coloration provides an evolutionary advantage that helped these butterflies survive and reproduce better in their particular environments. Over time, populations of black-winged butterflies emerged through natural selection.
Geographic Ranges
The all black or mostly black butterfly species are found in certain geographic ranges where the black coloration gives them an advantage:
– Pipevine Swallowtail: Throughout the southeastern United States and some parts of the southwest.
– Black Swallowtail: Across much of North America, except the driest deserts and high arctic. More common in the east.
– Anise Swallowtail: West coast of North America and some Rocky Mountain states. Melanic females are more common in the Pacific Northwest.
– Red-spotted Purple: Most of eastern North America from Canada south to the Gulf Coast.
– Mourning Cloak: All across North America and even into Alaska. One of the most widely distributed butterflies on the continent.
– Viceroy: East of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and south-central Canada.
– Monarch: Throughout most of North and Central America. Melanic morphs are very rare and limited.
So while black butterflies can be found across much of North America, some like the Pipevine Swallowtail are limited to one geographic region. Others like the Mourning Cloak span the continent. Range depends on the specific environments where black coloration provides an adaptive advantage.
Rarity of All Black Forms
While some butterflies can appear all black or nearly black, the completely melanic forms are relatively uncommon:
– Black morph females make up 10-50% of populations in species like Black Swallowtails, Anise Swallowtails, and Viceroys.
– In the Red-spotted Purple, melanic females likely account for less than 10% of the population.
– Truly all black Monarchs are extremely rare. There are only a handful of documented cases across decades of observations.
– Melanic morphs seem most common in groups like swallowtails where females mimic toxic males. Mimicry gives these black butterflies an advantage.
So while not unheard of, solid black individuals make up a relatively small percentage of most butterfly populations. Partial melanism resulting in darker wings is more common. There are likely evolutionary constraints that prevent the black form from dominating most species.
Here is a table summarizing the relative rarity of the black morphs in each group:
| Butterfly species | Percent melanic |
|---|---|
| Pipevine Swallowtail | 10-50% |
| Black Swallowtail | 10-50% |
| Anise Swallowtail | 10-50% |
| Red-spotted Purple | <10% |
| Mourning Cloak | Unknown |
| Viceroy | 10-50% |
| Monarch | Extremely Rare |
Spotting All Black Butterflies
While uncommon, keep an eye out for those rare all black butterflies if you want to spot one in the wild:
– Pipevine Swallowtails are most likely in the American Southeast and southwest, especially around their host plants, the pipevines.
– Watch for solid black female Black Swallowtails across much of North America near host plants like parsley, fennel and dill.
– Melanic female Anise Swallowtails can be found along the west coast, sometimes abundantly, associated with their namesake host.
– Mourning Cloaks are widespread across the continent and the dark brown wings appear black when folded upright at rest. Look for them perching with closed wings.
– Pure black Monarchs are exceptionally rare finds but have been documented across their range in North and Central America.
With some luck and a sharp eye, you just might find one of these rare black beauties while out appreciating butterflies in nature. It’s a unique treat to see one as they stood out enough in the population over evolutionary time to be naturally selected.
Conclusion
While many butterflies sport bright, vivid colors, some species like swallowtails, mourning cloaks and viceroys do come in melanic or black forms. These dark morphs evolved through natural selection to help the butterflies camouflage, mimic toxic types, better regulate temperatures, or accidentally through genetic mutations. All black individuals make up a small but noteworthy percentage of the populations in these species across certain geographic ranges, especially where the coloration provides an advantage. With patience and a watchful eye during your butterfly outings, you just may encounter one of these exotic black beauties in nature. So when asked “Are there all black butterflies?”, the answer is a resounding yes!
