The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), sometimes called the milkweed butterfly, is a flying insect known for its large size and unique color. It comes from the family of Danaine which is a subgroup of the Nymphalidae family. The monarch butterfly’s wingspan averages from 90-100 mm. Though the veins on a female are thicker than those found on a male, both male and female monarchs have bright orange wings marked by black veins and a black border with two rows of spots.
The breeding season for Monarch Butterflies occurs during the spring and summer. During this time, they can be found in open fields, meadows, and prairies that contain milkweed. Larvae feed exclusively on Milkweed, and would not be able to survive without it. In the winter, after the breeding season has ended, monarch butterflies can be found at high altitudes in Central Mexico and on the coast of Southern California. In addition, Monarch Butterflies can be found almost all over the contiguous United States, as well as Hawaii and South America. They also live in South America, the Caribbean, Australia, and Southern parts of Canada along the…show more content… Over time,the bird learns to avoid feeding on the monarch butterfly. The Viceroy, another type of butterfly, mimics the pattern of a Monarch butterfly, but unlike the Monarch, it does not obtain the toxins containing cardiac glycosides. Despite the Viceroy being non-harmful, predators that learn to avoid the Monarch butterfly, also tend to avoid the Viceroy. Therefore, this species escapes predation by mimicking the Monarch butterfly. This type of relationship that the Viceroy butterfly shares with the Monarch butterfly is known as batesian mimicry which is a type of