Monarch Butterfly
Image: Flickr (CC0)
Common NameMonarch Butterfly
Scientific NameDanaus plexippus
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyDanainae
Wingspan (mm)75
Wing Patternstriped
Primary Colorsorange, black, white
HabitatMeadows, grasslands, open fields, roadsides, gardens, forest edges, and coastal areas, especially where milkweed is present.
Geographic RangeNorth America, Central America, parts of South America, Australia, New Zealand, and some Pacific Islands. Migratory populations are primarily found in North America.
Host PlantsMilkweed (Asclepias spp.)
Flight PeriodMarch to October in temperate regions, year-round in tropical areas. Migratory flights occur from late summer to fall.
Flight Stylegliding
Conservation Statusendangered
Lifecycle NotesMonarchs undergo complete metamorphosis. Eggs are laid singly on milkweed leaves, hatching into striped caterpillars that feed exclusively on milkweed. The caterpillar then forms a jade-green chrysalis with metallic gold spots, from which the adult butterfly emerges.
Identification TipsEasily identified by its striking orange and black wing pattern with distinct black veins and white spots along the black margins. Males have a small, dark scent patch (androconium) on a hindwing vein, which females lack.
Description
A large, iconic butterfly with vibrant orange wings featuring prominent black veins and thick black borders adorned with two rows of white spots. Its body is black.
