Its stunning wings are bright orange-red and deep black veins run through them. The white spots along the edges bring the look together. What are we talking about? The majestic monarch butterfly, of course! Yet, there’s more to these bright-winged beauties than what initially meets the eye. Monarch butterflies are a keystone species, meaning they play a massive role in their native ecosystems.
Think you know everything about butterflies? Think again. Here are five facts about the monarch butterfly!
1. Monarch Butterflies: The Basics
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of monarch butterflies, here are some basic things to know:
- The male butterfly possesses distinguishing black dots along the veins of its wings and is slightly bigger than females. The black spots are actually scent glands, and they help the male attract female mates.
- These butterflies most famous for their seasonal migration when they travel from North America to Mexico for the winter. Monarch butterflies are found in warm places where milkweed plants grow.
- The milkweed plant is crucial to these butterflies. That’s because the female monarch butterfly lays her eggs on these plants. A single female can lay between 300 to 500 eggs over a two-to-five-week span!
Here’s another fun fact: moths and butterflies are not the same insect—although they’re frequently mistaken as the same organism. For instance, most moth species are nocturnal, while monarch butterflies are more active during the day.
2. Monarch Butterflies Have a Multi-Phase Lifecycle
A butterfly has four phases in its lifecycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. This process is called “complete metamorphosis” and is one of the two ways an insect develops from an egg to an adult.
The monarch butterfly begins its life in a cream-colored egg attached to the underside of a milkweed leaf. A worm-like larva grows inside the egg, and when it is ready to emerge, the larva chews a small hole in the egg and wiggles itself out. The first meal a larva will have is the milkweed leaf.
When a monarch butterfly finds a new home, it will create a silk patch around itself and hang upside down to enter the pupa stage. This layer is called the “chrysalis.” Inside, it is slowly morphing into something new called a pupa. When the chrysalis starts to become transparent, it is time for the pupa to break out. After about one to two weeks, they will be beautiful black and orange-winged adult monarch butterflies.
The newly emerged butterfly will wait about two or more hours before it can fly because its wings are too small and shriveled, so it must first pump fluid through its wing’s veins to make them bigger. After the wings have hardened and the butterfly can fly, it looks for nectar to drink.
You can plant many colorful, pet-safe plants in your yard to attract butterflies, ladybugs, and other helpful insects. Avoid using pesticides; these can hurt butterflies and other wildlife!
3. Monarch Butterflies’ Lifespans Vary
Monarch butterflies have different lifespans depending on when they’ve hatched from their chrysalis. If they reach adulthood by early summer, then it is likely they will only live up to two to five weeks. But, if they become adult butterflies at the end of the summer months (and they’re able to migrate south and live in warm weather), they may live eight to nine months.
However, migrating monarchs are at a much higher risk of getting eaten by predators or dying while in flight. If they manage to survive their cross-country migration, they will hibernate over winter and into early spring. After that, they will lay eggs, and the cycle begins all over again.
4. Monarch Butterflies Taste Bad
The most interesting part of these butterflies is their unique defense system. You might think that the bright colors on their wings make them an easy target for prey, but in fact, the colors show the predators that the butterflies are indeed poisonous and foul-tasting.
The milkweed plant itself is toxic and is the only food in a larva’s diet. So, this butterfly stores toxins in its body and becomes poisonous to predators like birds. If a predator were to attack and bite a monarch, it would inadvertently ingest a chemical that would immediately make it sick. In turn, this gives the insect a chance to escape.
If you want to observe these magnificent creatures in your own yard, all you need to do is plant some milkweed plants and wait for these beautiful butterflies to come feast. Of course, this will only happen if you live in a tropical or sub-tropical area.
5. Monarch Butterflies Are a Threatened Species
While the monarch butterfly isn’t endangered, it’s a threatened species because of pesticide use, habitat destruction, and pollution. Thankfully, there are many ways you can protect local wildlife, such as planting butterfly-friendly plants and avoiding harsh weedkillers. There’s no task too small when it comes to saving butterflies from the brink of extinction!
You can also support reputable zoos and organizations focused on rehabilitating these beautiful creatures. For example, Butterfly World in Coconut Creek, Florida, has thousands of butterflies you can enjoy on display. Some even lay in the palm of your hand! Other zoos focused on butterflies include the Bronx Zoo in New York City and Magic Wings in Massachusetts.
