Plant Milkweed and Save The Monarch Butterfly
by Barbara McMahon
Title
Plant Milkweed and Save The Monarch Butterfly
Artist
Barbara McMahon
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. It may be the most familiar North American butterfly. Its wings feature an easily recognizable orange and black pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (3½–4 in).[3] (The viceroy butterfly is similar in color and pattern, but is markedly smaller, and has an extra black stripe across the hind wing.)
The eastern North American monarch population is notable for its southward late summer/autumn migration from the United States and southern Canada to Mexico, covering thousands of miles. The western North American population of monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains most often migrate to sites in California but have been found in overwintering Mexico sites
The monarch undergoes complete metamorphosis consisting of four stages:
1.The eggs are laid by the females during spring and summer breeding months onto the leaves of milkweed plants.
2.The eggs hatch (after four days), into larvae, or caterpillars. The caterpillar consumes its egg case then begins to feed on milkweed. and sequester substances called cardenolides, a type of cardiac glycoside. During the larval stage, monarchs store energy in the form of fat and nutrients to carry them through the nonfeeding pupal stage. The larval stage lasts around two weeks.
3. In the pupa or chrysalis stage, the caterpillar spins a silk pad onto a horizontal substrate. It then hangs from the pad by the last pair of prolegs upside down resembling the letter 'J'. It sheds its skin leaving itself encased in an articulated green exoskeleton. During this pupal stage, the adult butterfly forms inside. The exoskeleton becomes transparent before it ecloses (emerges), and its adult colors can be seen.
4.The mature butterfly emerges after about two pupal weeks, and hangs until its wings are dry. Fluids are pumped into wings and they expand and stiffen. The monarch expands and contracts its wings, and when conditions allow it then flies to feed on a variety of nectar plants. In about three days the adult reaches reproductive maturity. Adult monarchs live two to eight weeks during the breeding season.
Uploaded
August 6th, 2014
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