Monarch butterfly
Image: XalD (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Common NameMonarch butterfly
Scientific NameDanaus plexippus
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyDanainae
Wingspan (mm)95
Primary Colorsorange, black, white
HabitatOpen fields, meadows, roadsides, gardens, forest edges, especially areas with milkweed
Geographic RangeNorth America (migratory), Central America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands
Host PlantsAsclepias spp. (milkweeds)
Flight PeriodSpring to Fall (multiple generations)
Conservation Statusendangered
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid on milkweed, hatching into striped caterpillars. Caterpillars form a jade-green chrysalis with gold spots, from which the adult butterfly emerges.
Identification TipsRecognizable by its large size, vibrant orange and black wings with prominent black veins, and white spots on the black wing margins. Males have a small black scent patch on the hindwings.
Description
A large, iconic butterfly with bright orange wings veined in black and bordered with black containing white spots.
