NPS/Breault The monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, is an iconic species with a complex existence. This butterfly is the most well-liked insect in the United States. It is a regular visitor to Gulf Islands National Seashore. The monarch also has a baffling 3,000-mile multi-generational migration! It’s hard to miss the bright orange and black coloration and distinct pattern of a monarch butterfly. The wings have a black border, accented with little white dots. Monarchs are also easy to identify in their larval stage. As a caterpillar they have yellow, black, and white stripes. As adults it is possible to identify a male from a female butterfly. Male monarchs have a small black spot on their hindwing, which females lack. Novice entomologists (a person who studies insects) take care not to confuse the monarch butterfly with the Viceroy, a mimic species.
The Rocky Mountains divides the monarch’s migration into 2 groups. Those who spend their summers in the warm air in the eastern part of the United States and Canada overwinter in central Mexico. While those in the western part of North America overwinter along California’s coast. For many people, the arrival and departure of monarchs mark the seasons. Their migratory path follows the bloom of their host plant. Milkweed is critical to the survival of monarch butterflies. It is the only plant on which they will lay their eggs for good reason. The latex thick sap the young caterpillars consume accumulates in their bodies. This makes them very distasteful to predators. This is the reason other species wish to look like them.
The monarch butterfly has few predators thanks to the toxic chemicals they receive from the milkweed. Even with this amazing adaptation they are not free from threat. Anthropogenic impacts and climate change present the biggest challenges for this tiny creature. Droughts, unusually harsh winters, deforestation, and land development all lead to habitat loss. A reduction in the prevalence of milkweed means less baby monarchs being born each year.
Luckily, we have identified the problem early. There is a lot we can do as individuals and together. The survival of the monarch depends on the existence of its habitat. You can help by planting native milkweed in your yard. Every new plant makes a difference.
Brock, Jim P. and Kaufman, Kenn. Butterflies of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2003.
Opler, Paul A. A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies. Houghton Mifflin Company. 1998. https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Monarch-Butterfly https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/Monarch_Butterfly/migration/index.shtml https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/01/plan-save-monarch-butterflies-backfires# https://blog.nature.org/science/2016/04/05/the-four-biggest-hazards-facing-monarch-butterflies-and-how-you-can-help/ |
Last updated: April 30, 2020