The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is well known for its migrations across North America. Every year, millions of butterflies travel from the north of the continent to some very special forests in Mexico. However, these peculiar insects can be seen in many other places around the world and not all of them migrate.
Among the characteristics of the monarch butterfly its color pattern stands out. Behind it hide many curiosities related to its diet and its aggregation in the trees. Do you want to know these curiosities? Do not miss this article on our site about the characteristics of the monarch butterfly.
Main Characteristics of the Monarch Butterfly
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are insects of the order Lepidoptera (Lepidoptera). Unlike other butterflies, it has a pattern of black drawings on an orange background It might seem easy to identify, but there are other types of butterflies that are very similar. This is the case of the southern monarch butterfly (Danaus erippus) and the viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus).
This characteristic drawing pattern is repeated frequently because it is Very useful for your survival It is a case of mimicry animal. The color pattern is very easy to recognize by potential predators, who identify the butterflies as dangerous. But why? As we will now see, the characteristics of the monarch butterfly are closely related to their diet.
Monarch Butterfly Feeding
Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on plants known as milkweeds, usually of the genus Asclepias. These plants have toxic substances: cardenolides. For this reason, when herbivorous insects consume its leaves, they begin to have intestinal problems or even die. However, monarch larvae only feed on these plants and are not affected by the toxins.
When they feed on milkweeds, these butterflies accumulate cardenolides in their bodies. This makes them toxic to their predators, who vomit when eaten. That is why, after trying one, it will never occur to them to eat another that has the same color pattern. The ability of these Lepidoptera to warn about their toxicity is a case of animal aposematism.
As if the color pattern wasn't enough, milkweeds also provide them with compounds called pyrazines. These are volatile molecules that give them a repellent smell This is another of the characteristics of the monarch butterfly that makes them such interesting animals.
In this other article we also explain Where do butterflies live and what do they eat?
Where do monarch butterflies live?
The Monarch butterfly is well known for its migrations across North America During the warm season, this butterfly breeds in Canada and the north of the USA. When winter approaches, millions of butterflies undertake a long journey to some forests in the southern US and Mexico, where they form large hibernating populations.
When these Lepidoptera arrive in the woods, they perch all together on the trees, forming huge masses of butterflies This aggregation allows them to gather your colors and increase your warning signal. Therefore, very few predators dare to eat them while they are together.
In addition to populations in North America, some of these colorful butterflies have formed populations in other parts of the world. These are the countries and islands where the monarch butterfly lives:
- Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the Indo-Pacific islands.
- Central America, Caribbean islands and northern South America.
- Iberian Peninsula and northern Morocco.
- Atlantic Ocean Islands (Canary Islands, Azores, Madeira, Hawaii).
On the other hand, in this other article we explain if the monarch butterfly is in danger of extinction or not.
Monarch Butterfly Predators
Many birds have managed to circumvent the defense mechanism of monarch butterflies, that is, They are not affected by cardenolides Some examples they are the dark-backed bolsero (Icterus abeillei) and the black-headed grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus), which attack them during their hibernation in Mexico. These monarch butterfly predators can eat hundreds of butterflies in a very short time.
In addition, butterflies can suffer predation in their larval stage. Monarch caterpillars are eaten by many insects. Among them are several species of spiders, mantises and ants A little more curious are the flies of the family Tachinidae and the wasps of the genus Pteromalus, which lay their eggs in or near the caterpillars. Thus, when they hatch, their larvae devour the caterpillars while they are still alive.
You may also be interested in Things you didn't know about butterflies.
Monarch Butterfly Migration
Without a doubt, its migration is the most outstanding of the characteristics of the monarch butterfly. It is a journey that can reach 4,000 kilometers away However, this only occurs in populations of eastern North America, which hibernate in mountain forests from Mexico. In these ecosystems there is a microclimate that allows them to survive during the winter.
On the other hand, butterflies in western North America find their hibernation refuge only hundreds of kilometers away. These are forests near the coast where, due to the influence of the ocean, there is also a microclimate similar to that of the Mexican forests.
Some Australian monarch butterflies also make short migrations across the island. However, there are many populations, both in Australia and around the world, who are sedentaryand do not make any kind of trip. It is not yet clear why, although it may be because the temperatures never get very cold. This way, they can survive the winter without having to move.
Curiosities of the monarch butterfly migration
The monarch butterfly has an organ on its antennae known as the “antennal clock”. This is the structure responsible for their circadian rhythm and allows them to detect that the days are getting shorter This is how they know that winter is coming and they stop reproducing. In this way, they begin to prepare for their long journey.
Only butterflies that hatch in late summer or early fall make this journey. Still, the number of butterflies that make it to southern North America each year exceeds 100 million individualsThey are the only ones that will return to the north of the continent in spring, starting a new breeding cycle.
If you want to know more, we recommend you consult this other article on How do butterflies reproduce?
