Monarch butterfly
Image: Linayis Gomez (CC BY 4.0)
Common NameMonarch butterfly
Scientific NameDanaus plexippus
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyDanainae
Wingspan (mm)95
Wing Patternstriped
Primary Colorsorange, black, white
HabitatMeadows, grasslands, open fields, gardens, roadsides, forest edges
Geographic RangeNorth America, Central America, South America, Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, and some Pacific islands
Host PlantsAsclepias syriaca, Asclepias incarnata, Asclepias tuberosa, Asclepias curassavica
Flight PeriodMay to October (North America, multiple generations)
Flight Stylegliding
Conservation Statusendangered
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on milkweed leaves. Larvae (caterpillars) are distinctly striped yellow, black, and white, feeding exclusively on milkweed. They pupate into a jade-green chrysalis with a metallic gold band, from which the adult butterfly emerges.
Identification TipsRecognizable by its large size, bright orange and black wing pattern with white spots. It can be distinguished from the similar-looking Viceroy butterfly by the absence of a black line across the hindwings and its generally larger size.
Description
A large, iconic butterfly with vibrant orange wings featuring thick black veins and borders, adorned with two rows of small white spots along the edges.
