Monarch butterfly --- Arthropods

Danaus plexippus

During the summer, North American monarch butterflies live in the northern United States and southern Canada. In the fall, they fly south in the large groups. All along their trip, other groups join them, and soon there are thousands of butterflies in fight. At night, monarch butterflies stop to rest in trees. Sometimes a tree can appear to change into a giant “flower,” alive and colourful. These butterflies spend the winter in either California or central Mexico. They sometimes cover 2000 miles. In the spring, the monarchs leave again for the north. Their flight is slow and they spread out over the countryside. Females lay their eggs during the journey. Caterpillars turn into butterflies, then fly north. Often, those that make it to Canada are the children or grandchildren of the butterflies that left Canada the previous fall.

Monarch caterpillars are ringed with bands of white, yellow, and black. They have 2 pairs of long black threads in the front and in the back of their bodies. When they are upset, they move their antennae violently. The bright colours of the caterpillars and butterfly warn predators to stay away. Caterpillars eat milkweed plants, which are poisonous to other animals. The milkweed poison stays in the insect’s body and helps protect it.

Until recently, the monarch lived only in North America. During the last 120 years, they have spread and are now found on pacific and Indian ocean islands and in Australia.

PHYLUM: Arthropods

CLASS: Insects

ORDER: Butterflies and moths

FAMILY: Milkweed butterflies

WIINGSPAN: 2 to 4 inches

DIET: Milkweed (caterpillars) nectar (adult)

METHOD OF REPRODUCTION: Egg layer