milkweed butterfly

noun

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80

"Crawl out, I suppose," answered the Milkweed Butterfly with a careless flutter.

Let us take as an illustration the common milkweed butterfly.

"Nothing to make such a fuss over," said a Milkweed Butterfly.

Thus in writing about the milkweed butterfly, Anosia plexippus, the naturalist will designate it as "A. plexippus."

They see our colors—yellow and black, the badge of the milkweed butterfly—and off they go seeking a choicer tidbit.

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