The Life of the Monarch Butterfly

1. The Life of the Monarch Butterfly
by Stephanie Pitts
(Stein, 2007)

2. The Monarch butterfly is a stunning
species with many people following them
during their lives. They exhibit a certain
beauty throughout all of their life stages
and their migration is fascinating to most
everyone that studies them.
The fact that their numbers are
decreasing has scientists, gardeners, and
wildlife enthusiasts concerned and
looking for ways to preserve these
amazing creatures.
Here we’ll take a closer look at the life of
the Monarch butterfly.

3. Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and
Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies
(excluding skippers))
Family Nymphalidae (Brushfooted
Butterflies)
Subfamily Danainae (Milkweed
Butterflies & Glasswings)
Tribe Danaini (Milkweed Butterflies)
(Sherri.VandenAkker, 2010)
Genus Danaus
Species plexippus (Monarch)
(www.bugguide.net)

4. Identifying Monarch Butterflies
Monarch
Monarch
Large, no tails
Above and Below:
Orange with black lined
veins; black border with (White, 2006)
small white spots;
hindwings have no Viceroy
horizontal bar crossing
the veins (as in Viceroy)
(Stokes 33).
(Mazur, 2009)

5. Identifying Male and Female Butterflies
 Female Butterfly  Male Butterfly
 Thick vein pigmentation  Thin vein pigmentation
 No hindwing pouches  Swollen pouches on the
(www.monarchwatch.org) hindwings
(www.monarchwatch.org)
(TexasEagle, 2010) (TexasEagle, 2010)

6. Butter fly sex is not as elegant an af fair as you might
think . It seems that male monarch butter flies
conduct an all -out sperm war based on a crude
M
measure of how much sperm is stored inside a
female from a previous mating.
During sex the males physically restrain the females
A
T
for an entire day while injecting them with a fluid
which contains fer tile sperm as well as seemingly
functionless cells without nuclei (NEW SCIENTIST).
I
N
G
(Jason Pier in DC, 2009)

7. Egg
Four
Adult life Larva
stages
Pupa

8. EGG
 Egg (3-4 days) The eggs hatch about
four days after they are laid.
Approximate dimensions : 1 .2mm
high; 0.9mm wide
(www.monarchwatch.org).
 Each mother has roughly 200 eggs
to deposit, and optimally, the eggs
should be laid separately, among a
number of milkweed plants, as a
protection against sibling
cannibalism (Kostyal). (Samuel, 2011)

9. LARVA (CATERPILLAR)
 Lar va (Caterpillar; 10 -14 days) It is during this
stage that Monarchs do all of their growing.
They begin life by eating their eggshell, and
then move on to the plant on which they were
laid (www.monarchwatch.org ).
 When the caterpillar has become too large for
its skin, it molts, or sheds its skin. At fir st, the
new skin is ver y sof t, and provides little
suppor t or protection. The new skin soon (Sherri.VandenAkker, 2010)
hardens and molds itself to the caterpillar,
which of ten eats the shed skin before star ting
in anew on plant food! The inter vals between
molts are called instar s. Monarchs go through
five instars. Approximate length of body at
each stage: 1st instar, 2 -6mm; 2nd instar, 6 -
9mm; 3rd instar, 10 -14mm; 4th instar, 13 -
25mm; 5th instar, 25-45mm
(www.monarchwatch.org ).
(puuikibeach, 2010)

10. PUPA (CHRYSALIS)
 Pupa (Chr ysalis; 10 -14 days) During the pupal stage the
transformation from lar va to adult is completed. Pupae are much
less mobile than lar vae or adults, but they of ten exhibit sudden
movements if they are disturbed. Like other butter flies, Monarch
pupae are well -camouflaged, since they have no other means of
defense against predator s (www.monarchwatch.org ).
(puuikibeach, 2010) (puuikibeach, 2011)

11. ADULT (BUTTERFLY)
 They emerge as beautifully colored,
black-orange-and-white adults. The
color ful pattern makes monarchs easy to
identify—and that's the idea. The
distinctive pattern warns predator s that
the insects are foul tasting and poisonous (LaBar, 2006)
(www.nationalgeographic.com).
 No growth occur s in the adult stage, but
Monarchs need to obtain nourishment to
maintain their body and fuel it for flight .
(www.monarchwatch.org).
 The primar y job of the adult stage is to
reproduce - to mate and lay the eggs that
will become the next generation .
(www.monarchwatch.org).

12. Life expectancy
Monarch development from egg to adult is completed in about
30 days.
( w w w.monarc hwatc h.org ).
To p u t a t r u e a v e r a g e o n t h e l i f e s p a n o f a m o n a r c h b u t t e r f l y ,
you would literally have to go all over the world. The answer is
dif ferent all over and if you really want to know the full life
s p a n o f a m o n a rc h b u t te r fl y, yo u w i l l d e f i n ite l y h av e to d o yo u r
research into the monarchs that live in your area of the world.
In the USA, adult monarchs live 2 -6 weeks if they are in the
fi r st 3 g e n e r ations o f b u t te r fli e s i n t h e ye a r. T h e 4 t h
generation can live up to eight months because they have to do
a l o n g m i g r a t io n ( w w w. m o n a rc h - b u t te r f ly. c o m ) .

13. FOOD FOR CATERPILLARS
Although the adult feeds on a vast
range of plants, the caterpillar depends
solely on milkweed (Baran).
Since the plant’s milky essence, its
latex, is full of glycosides that are
poisonous to other animals, the
milkweed-sated monarchs are
unpalatable to most predators
(Kostyal).

14. FOOD FOR BUTTERFLIES
Nectar from flowers, which is about 20% sugar, provides most of their
adult food. Monarchs are not very picky about the source of their
nectar, and will visit many different flowers. They use their vision to
find flowers, but once they land on a potential food source, they use
taste receptors on their feet to find the nectar
(www.monarchwatch.org).
Examples of Plants Monarchs Enjoy:
Blue Cardinal Flower, Bloodflower, Brazilian Verbena, Butterfly
Bush, Butterfly Weed, Common Milkweed, Globe Amaranth, Heath
Aster, Heliotrope, Joe-Pye Weed, Lantana, Late-flowering Boneset,
Marigold, Mist Flower, Mustard Greens, New England Aster, New
York Ironweed, Oriental Lilies, Showy Coneflower, Smooth Aster,
Swamp Milkweed, Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower), Wingstem, Zinnia
(The Butterfly Site.com).

15. MIGRATION
 There are two Monarch populations in
North America.
 A w e s te r n p o p ul a t i o n l i v e s w e s t o f t h e
Ro c k i e s a n d o v e r w i n te r s a l o n g t h e m i d -
C a l i fo r n i a c o a s t - m o s t f a m o u s l y i n P a c i fi c
G r o v e , o n M o n te r ey B ay ( Ko s t ya l ) .
 A m u c h l a r g e r e a s te r n p o p u l a t i o n g r a c e s
the springs, summers, and early falls of
t h e A m e r i c a n p l a i n s a n d t h e E a s t ( Ko s t ya l ) .
 With the sun as a compass and the Earth’s
magnetic field as a navigational tool, the
butterflies unerringly return to a small
sweep of forest in Michoacan, a daunting
2,000 miles away (Kostyal).
 Not too hot or too cold, the temperatures in
the Mexican winter forests are just right for
the monarchs during their months of
dormancy (Kostyal). (oceandesetoiles, 2011)

16. THREATS & SOLUTIONS
 Logging
 Lack of Host Plants
 Loss of Habitat Due to Pests

17. T H E M O N A R C H B U T T E R F LY B I O S P H E R E R E S E RV E I S
L O C AT E D I N T H E N E O V O L C A NI C M O U N TA I N R A N G E O F
L
C E N T R A L M E X I C O . I T I S O N LY H E R E , I N P I N E A N D F I R
F O R E S T S O F C E N T R A L M E X I C O , T H AT T H E M O N A R C H
B U T T E R F LY ( D A N A U S P L E X I P P U S ) F I N D S T H E P R E C I S E
M I C R O C L I MATI C C O N D I T I O N S N E C E S S A RY TO S U RV I V E
O
T H E W I N T E R ( H O N E Y- ROS É S ).
I N F E B R U A RY 2 0 0 4 , A M A S S I V E L O G G I N G O P E R AT I O N O F
MORE THAN 100 TRUCKS RAIDED THE CHINCUA
G
M O U N TA I N O F T H E M O N A R C H B U T T E R F LY B I O S P H E R E
R E S E RV E . PA R K M A N A G E R S WAT C H E D H E L P L E S S LY A S
T R U C K S L O A D E D W I T H T I M B E R R O L L E D PA S T T H E
R A N G E R S TAT I O N A N D O U T T H E V I S I TO R E N T R A N C E
( H O N E Y- ROS É S ) .
A S PA RT O F T H E A G R E E M E N T TO E N L A R G E T H E
G
B I O S P H E R E R E S E RV E , F O R E S T O W N E R S E X C H A N G E D
L O G G I N G R I G H T S F O R A N N U A L PAY M E N T S F R O M T H E
M O N A R C H B U T T E R F LY C O N S E RVAT I O N F U N D , A U S $ 6 . 5
M I L L I O N C A P I TA L F U N D M A N A G E D B Y W O R L D W I L D L IF E
I
FUND MEXICO AND THE MEXICAN FUND FOR THE
C O N S E RVAT I O N O F N AT U R E ( H O N E Y- RO S É S ) .
I N R E S P O N S E TO T H E O R G A N I Z E D I L L E G A L L O G G I N G ,
N
G
C O M M U N I T Y L E A D E R S N E A R T H E B I O S P H E R E R E S E RV E
H AV E E N L I S T E D V O L U N TA RY B R I G A D E S TO PAT R O L T H E
F O R E S T D AY A N D N I G H T. W H E N A L O G G I N G O P E R AT I O N
IS SUSPECTED, THESE BRIGADES CAMP IN THE
F O R E S T, A R M E D A N D R E A D Y TO C O N F R O N T I N T R U D E R S
( H O N E Y- ROS É S ) .

18. LACK OF HOST PLANTS
 Common milkweed, Aspecias syriaca,
which the monarchs prefer, has declined
dramatically in recent decades, a victim of
herbicides sprayed across farm fields,
particularly the Midwest, and human (Levisay, 2010)
development, which has eliminated open
fields where milkweed thrives (Kosty al).
 Because lawns are becoming more
manicured, there is more grass and
decorative foreign plants, and less natural
(Jpoyston,2010)
habitat with native plants for butter flies to
thrive.
(Gorman, 2010)

19. LOSS OF HABITAT DUE TO PESTS
 I n 2 0 0 9 , t h e i n f e s t a t io n o f b a r k b e et l e s c a u s e d t h e
l o s s o f m a ny t r e e s i n a s a n c t ua r y w h e r e t h e b u t te r fl ie s
w i n ter.
 B a r k b e e t le s h a v e e x i s te d f o r s o m e t i m e i n t h e
m o n a rc h r e s er v e , u s u a l ly a t t a c k in g o n l y a h a n d f ul o f
t r e e s a t a ny o n e t i m e . B u t d r o ug h t e a r l i e r t h i s y e a r
w e a ke n e d a s m a ny a s 9 , 0 0 0 o y a m e l f i r s , a l l o w i n g t h e
b e et l e s t o b u r row i n a n d t a p t h e t r e e s ’ n u t r ie n t s
( E a r t h we e k ) .
 P e s t ic i d e s w o u l d b e t h e m o s t e f f e c t iv e w ay t o
e r a d ic a te t h e b e et l e s , a c c o r d i n g t o b i o l o g i s t s , b u t t h ey
w o ul d a l s o k i l l t h e b u t ter f li e s i f t h e w i n g e d i n s e c t s
a r r i ve d s o o n a f t e r t h e i n s e c t ic i d e s w e r e a p p l ie d
( E a r t h we e k ) . .
 S o p a r k o f f ic i a ls a r e f i g h t i n g t h e i n f e s t a t i o n o n a t r e e -
b y - t r e e b a s i s . B a r k i s r e m ov e d f r o m t h e f e l l e d t r e e s
a n d b u r ie d . T h e r e m a in i n g w o o d i s b e i n g t a ke n a w ay
t o p r ev e n t t h e b e et l e s f r o m s p r e a d i n g ( E a r t h we e k ) ..
 T h e f o r e s t c a n o py i s c r i t ic a l t o s h e l te r i ng t h e
m o n a rc h s f r o m f r e e z in g r a i n a n d c o l d h i g h - a l t it ud e
n i g h t s d u r i n g t h e i r f i v e - m o n t h w i n te r s t ay ( E a r t h we e k ). (Emma T photography, 2011)
.

20. How You Can Help
 CONSIDER ADDING MONARCH
CATERPILLAR HOST PLANTS TO
YOUR GARDEN
 FILL YOUR GARDEN WITH NECTAR
PLANTS THE ADULT BUTTERFLIES
ENJOY
 DISCONTINUE USE OF GARDEN
PESTICIDES

21. Works Cited
Information
Baran, Myriam. Butterflies of the World. New York, New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2006.
Print.
BugGuide.net. Iowa State University. n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2011.
www.bugguide.net 22 Oct. 2011.
The Butterfly Site.com. “Butterfly Nectar Plants.” n.d. 12 Nov. 2011
http://www.thebutterflysite.com/butterfly-food.shtml
Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet. “Beetle Infestation Threatens Monarch Butterfly
Sanctuary.” 23 Oct. 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.earthweek.com/2009/ew091023/ew091023c.html>
Honey-Rosés, Jordi. "Illegal Logging In Common Property Forests." Society & Natural
Resources 22.10 (2009): 916-930. GreenFILE. Web. 13 Nov. 2011.
Kostyal, K.M. Great Migrations. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2010. Print.
Monarch-Butterfly.com. n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2011
http://www.thebutterflysite.com/life-cycle.shtml
Monarch Watch. The Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas.
n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. <www.monarchwatch.org>

22. Works Cited
Information
National Geographic. n.d. web. 23 Oct. 2011.
<http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/monarch-butterfly/>
Powell, Devin. "The Monarch Butterfly's Sperm Wars." New Scientist 201.2690 (2009): 9.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
Stokes, Donald W. and Linda Q. Stokes. Stokes Beginners Guide to Butterflies. New York,
New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2001. Print.

23. Work Cited
Photographs
Samuel. “Monarch Eggs.” 23 April 2011. Flickr.com. 22 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/_sjg_/5647932690/>
Emma T photography. “Monarch butterflies.” 14 Dec. 2006. Flickr.com. 11 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/12066488@N00/379528405/>
Gorman, Peter. “Purple Milkweed.” 19 Jun. 2010. Flickr.com. 23 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/52421717@N00/4718586781/>
Jason Pier in DC. “Two Monarch Butterflies Mating: Brookside Gardens_095.” 29 May 2009.
Flickr.com. 11 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonpier/3702986884/>
jpoyston. “Swamp Milkweed.” 14 Aug., 2010. Flickr.com. 23 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/jpoyston/4894810686/>
LaBar, Martin. “Monarch butterfly on butterfly weed.” 25 Aug. 2006. Flickr.com. 22 Oct.
2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/martinlabar/254075049/>
Levisay, Mark. “003ed.” 23 May 2010. Flickr.com. 26 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlevisay/4632468261/>

24. Works Cited
Photographs continued
Mazur, Mark. “A Viceroy Butterfly.” 27 July, 2009. Flicker.com. 22 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/benimoto/3836891925/>
oceandesetoiles. “monarch butterfly migration routes.” 14 Sept. 2011. Flickr.com. 26 Oct.
2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/ocean_of_stars/615073359/>
puuikibeach. “Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) Chrysalis.” 30 Dec. 2010. Flickr.com.
22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/puuikibeach/5308726037/>
puuikibeach. “Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) Chrysalis.” 6 Jan. 2011. Flickr.com. 22
Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/puuikibeach/5332420038/>
puuikibeach. “Monarch Butterfly - Larval Stage (Caterpillar).” 3 Jan. 2010. Flickr.com.
22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/puuikibeach/4243970616/>
Sherri.VandenAkker. “Monarch Butterfly, Butterfly Weed.” 1 July 2010. Flickr.com. 23 Oct.
2011. http://www.flickr.com/photos/63706019@N03/5798785566/
Sherri.VandenAkker. “Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar.” 20 Aug. 2010. Flickr.com. 23 Oct.
2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/63706019@N03/5798236901/>
Stein, Paul. “Monarch Butterfly.” 7 Oct. 2007. Flickr.com. 26 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/kapkap/1532171622/>
TexasEagle. “Monarch Male and Female.” 24 July 2010. Flickr.com. 11 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/texaseagle/4839884878/ >

25. Works Cited
Photographs Continued
White, Ross. “monarch butterfly.” 29 Sept. 2006. Flickr.com 11 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/yarnivore/301628675>