Monarch Butterfly

The monarch butterfly or simply monarch is a milkweed butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. It is among the most familiar of North American butterflies and an iconic pollinator, although it is not an especially effective pollinator of milkweeds. Its wings feature an easily recognizable black, orange, and white pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (3.5–4.0 in). A Müllerian mimic, the viceroy butterfly, is similar in color and pattern, but is markedly smaller and has an extra black stripe across each hindwing. Scientific Name: Danaus plexippus Range: North America, with introduced populations in Australia, NZ, Spain, Hawaii Size: Wingspan 9–10 cm Status: Native ID Notes: Orange with bold black veins and white-spotted black borders. Hindwing has a small black pouch (androconial scent gland) in males. Behavior / Notes: Famous multi-generational migration up to 4,800 km to overwintering grounds in central Mexico. Caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed (Asclepias), sequestering cardiac glycosides that make adults toxic to predators.