Danaus plexippus

E903393

Danaus plexippus is the monarch butterfly, a migratory North American butterfly species renowned for its striking orange-and-black wings and long-distance seasonal migrations.

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Statements (52)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Lepidoptera
butterfly species
insect
monarch butterfly
binomialName Danaus plexippus NERFINISHED
caterpillarPattern black, white, and yellow bands
class Insecta
commonName monarch
monarch butterfly
conservationConcern population declines in some regions
defenseMechanism aposematic coloration
toxicity from milkweed cardenolides
describedBy Carl Linnaeus
dietAdult nectar from flowers
dietLarva milkweed leaves
family Nymphalidae NERFINISHED
foundIn Canada NERFINISHED
Mexico NERFINISHED
United States NERFINISHED
genus Danaus NERFINISHED
introducedTo Australia NERFINISHED
Hawaii NERFINISHED
Iberian Peninsula NERFINISHED
New Zealand NERFINISHED
kingdom Animalia
larvalHostPlantCommonName milkweed
larvalHostPlantGenus Asclepias NERFINISHED
lifeStage adult
egg
larva (caterpillar)
pupa (chrysalis)
migrationDestination California overwintering sites
central Mexico
migratory true
mimickedBy Limenitis archippus NERFINISHED
mimicryType Müllerian and Batesian mimicry complex
nativeTo North America
notableFor long-distance seasonal migration
order Lepidoptera NERFINISHED
overwintersAs adult butterfly
phylum Arthropoda NERFINISHED
pollinator true
reproduction oviposition on milkweed plants
sexualDimorphism males have black scent spots on hindwings
subfamily Danainae
taxonRank species
threat climate change
habitat loss
reduction of milkweed plants
wingColor orange
wingPattern black veins and borders with white spots
yearDescribed 1758

Referenced by (1)

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