The Common Buckeye Butterfly (Junonia coenia) is aptly named. Not only do the large eyespots look like deer eyes but it is very a common resident in the southeastern U.S. They are regularly found in urban areas, thriving in parks and weedy lots. As spring warms, some of the young butterflies will make their way north, spreading as far as Canada. Like many retirees, at the first hint of winter weather they will head south. The worn adult above could have been a local butterfly or a migrant. Or, to use the local term for a snowbird, a Winter Texan.
Leave a Reply