They migrate, covering thousands of miles in search for new homes, breed along the way and travels back again to their place of origin. Below are some more amazing facts about monarch butterflies:
The Monarch Butterfly’s scientific name is Danaus plexippus. The term means "sleepy transformation” in Greek language and is inspired by the Greek myth of Danaus. In this story the daughters of Danaus, King of Libya, not wanting to marry their cousins leave Libya and go to Greece. The Monarch Butterflies long migration tell us of the daughters’ flight.
The Aztec believed the adult Monarch Butterflies to be the incarnation of their dead warriors.
Lepidopterists are people who study Monarch Butterflies.
The Monarch Butterfly is also called a Milkweed Butterfly and is cousin to all milkweed eating butterflies.
The Monarch Butterflies lives for about 8-9 months.
The Monarch Butterflies have a wingspan of 3 3/8 – 4 7/8 inches (8.6 – 12.4 cm).
The male Monarch Butterfly has a dark spot (scent scales) and its claspers (reproductive organ) is situated at the end of its abdomen.
The beautiful orange color of the Monarch butterfly acts as a defense mechanism from predators, signaling that their intended meal might be toxic. Not all Monarchs are poisonous since not all milkweeds secretes cardiac glycosides.
Only two birds species namely: the Black Headed Grosbeak and the Black-Backed Orioles can eat the Monarch Butterfly.
The Monarch Butterfly breathes through its wings and female Monarchs have thicker wing veins.
Monarch butterflies have been seen flying as high as 1,000 feet in the air.
They like it better on highlands and do not travel at very high speeds.
The wings of the Monarch Butterflies have the tendency to wear out from time to time.
North American Monarchs and the Vietnamese Monarchs can be distinguish by its marking.
Monarch butterflies covers a distance of about 2,000 miles traveling from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, and return to the north again in the spring. Its Mexican wintering place was only discovered in 1975.
Monarchs can fly as high as a kilometer or more and travel at a speed 5 to 30 miles an hour during migration and can fly a 1000km without stopping.
Monarch Butterflies can overheat in hot climates however; they use “thermals,” or warm air, allowing them to conserve energy and helps them glide as they migrate.
Monarch Butterflies crossbreed with only their own kind.
Monarch females can lay up to 500 eggs, usually laying a single egg on a plant. After about four days, the eggs will hatch.
As a caterpillar, the Monarch Butterfly eats milkweed but as it becomes an adult butterfly it feasts on nectar.
Monarch larvae have six pairs of eyes called ocelli but have very poor vision.
The larvae feed on the plant leaves for about two weeks and develop into caterpillars about 2 inches long.
wow!! i learned a lot from your post!! thanks for sharing :))
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The Girl with the Muji Hat
Aren't Monarch butterflies pretty? I just love looking at them but too afraid to go near them. I get the hibby jibbies :)
ReplyDeleteYou are really great dude from doggies down to tigers, lions now butterflies...
ReplyDeleteWhen i was a kid i used to chase on butterflies. and i wonder why for all insect butterflies are the most famous and most common subject in school. It's because they are indeed a beautiful creature :-)
ReplyDeleteWe have some visiting our garden every summer. They love our butterfly bush!
ReplyDeletehow cool! I learned something today. This is very informative post...:)
ReplyDeletethe transformation of this little creature is such amazing..you wonder how God creates thing with such a great way
ReplyDeleteAs always, you never failed to give us informative through your posts Papaleng.
ReplyDeleteI believe that butterflies are very symbolic especially the colors brown and black. Sabi kasi pag dinalaw ka ng brown butterfly may darating na pera at pag black naman may namatay na kamag-anak....
Ganda talaga ng paru-paro. I've visited a butterfly sanctuary here and I am delighted with all the colors.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful! :)
ReplyDeleteLearned something new again, paps! :)
great facts. Didn't know butterflies are cold-blooded even their insects. Great pick of beautiful portraits of butterflies, Papaleng. =)
DeleteI don't like caterpillars and worms (shudder!) but they do look so beautiful when already transformed to a butterfly! Lovely post.
ReplyDeleteAny butterfly is as beautiful and colorful as life. Their life cycle alone is truly amazing.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely is beautiful. It's amazing how we go about our lives at a breakneck pace, that we fail to notice wonderful things even as small as this.
ReplyDeleteMonarch butterflies are very interesting, i cannot imagine other creatures travel thousands of miles in a group
ReplyDeleteMONARCH BUTTERFLY is considered to be not endangered but near threatened butterflies now. So we have to take care of this wonderful creatures.
ReplyDeleteWow, this post is really informative! I don't dig butterflies that much, but the Monarch Butterfly is indeed beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAstig! If I got a chance gusto ko talaga makita kung pano sila maging isang paruparo. :D
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful. No wonder it's called a "Monarch" Butterfly. There's just a lingering essence of elegance in they way they look.
ReplyDeleteI love butterflies. Specially those that are really colorful!
ReplyDeletethe monarch butterfly is really beautiful.. but I love the other one more that mimics it.. the poisonous one.. :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting life cycle of a butterfly. God is really powerful for having this creation transform in different ways.
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