The Life of Animals | Rama-rama Monarch | The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus, subfamily: Danaidae - Milkweed butterfly family), is perhaps the most well-known of all North American butterflies. Like all insects, Monarch butterflies have 6 jointed legs, 3 body parts, a pair of antennae, compound eyes and an exoskeleton. Its wings are coloured an easily recognizable orange and black pattern, with a wingspan of 8.5 – 12.5 centimetres (3.34 inches – 4.92inches).
The photo on the left is the Monarch. Monarch butterflies are especially noted for their lengthy annual migration. Monarch butterflies follow the same migration patterns every year. During migration, huge numbers of butterflies can be seen gathered together. Female Monarch butterflies deposit eggs for the next generation during these migrations. The length of these journeys exceeds the normal life span of most Monarch butterflies, which is less than 2 months for butterflies born in early summer. During 'diapause', butterflies fly to one of many overwintering sites.Monarch butterflies are one of the few insects capable of making transatlantic crossings.
Monarch butterflies can also be found in New Zealand during summer, but are absent the rest of the year. The mating period for the overwinter population occurs in the spring, just prior to migration from the overwintering sites. The Monarch butterfly goes through four radically different stages The eggs hatch, revealing worm-like larva, the caterpillars. The caterpillars consume their egg cases, then feed on milkweed. During the caterpillar stage, Monarch butterflies store energy in the form of fat and nutrients to carry them through the non-feeding pupa stage.
The mature butterfly emerges after about two pupal weeks and hangs from the split chrysalis for several hours until its wings are dry. Finally, the monarch spreads its wings and then flies in a circle and away, to feed on a variety of flowers, including milkweed flowers, red clover and goldenrod. Monarch butterflies are foul-tasting and poisonous due to the presence of cardenolide aglycones in their bodies, which the caterpillars ingest as they feed on milkweed. Both forms advertise their unsuitability for eating with bright colours and areas of high contrast on the skin or wings. Monarch butterflies share this defence with the even more unpleasant-tasting Viceroy butterfly. The Monarch butterfly is the state insect of Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, and Texas, and the state butterfly of Minnesota, Vermont, and West Virginia.
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