The Monarch Butterfly, or Danaus plexippus, is one of
the most beautiful and fascinating insects in North
America.
Unfortunately, due to habitat loss, the species is in rapid
decline.
In Order to Help Save the Monarch Population,
we must attempt to understand the species,
including:
• The Monarch’s Incredible Lifecycle
• The Monarch’s dependence on the Milkweed Plant
• The Monarch’s Impressive
Migration Patterns
• The Loss of the Monarch’s
Winter Roosting Habitat
• And What We Can Do to
Help Save this Beautiful Insect
The Monarch Life Cycle
Follow the link to view a video clip
showing the journey of several
Monarchs from caterpillar- to
chrysalis- to adult butterfly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAUSKxWMIh0
The Milkweed Plant and Its Importance to
the Monarch’s Life Cycle:
COMMON
MILKWEED
MONARCH EGG
ON MILKWEED
LEAF
MONARCH LARVA
FEEDING ON
MILKWEED
As the Life Cycle slide indicated, Monarchs lay their
eggs exclusively on the Milkweed plant because it
is the only source of food Monarch Larvae
naturally feed on.
There are many species of Milkweed in North
America that can support the Monarch, but the two
most common species in our area include:
COMMON MILKWEED
SPROUTING
FLOWERING
SEEDING
AND SWAMP MILKWEED
FLOWERING
SPROUTING
SEEDING
So Why Milkweed?
When Monarch Larvae feed on Milkweed they consume and
collect a toxin that exists in the leaves of the plant.
The Monarchs,
having an
immune digestive
system, then use
the toxins from
the milkweed as a
defense
mechanism.
The bright
coloration of the
Monarch serves as
a warning to its
predators of its
bitterly
unpleasant taste
and ability to
make some
Once an unwary bird catches and
eats a Monarch you can bet that bird predators vomit.
will never again prey on a Monarch.
The Viceroy Butterfly has a similar coloration and pattern to
the Monarch Butterfly which acts as a defense mechanism.
The Viceroy mimics the Monarch in hopes that predators will
avoid it thinking that it has the same bitter, unpleasant taste.
VICEROY BUTTERFLY
MONARCH BUTTERFLY
The black stripe on the bottom portion of the viceroy
butterfly’s wings is the main distinction between the two.
Male or Female?
Did you know that it is possible to tell the difference between
male and female Monarch Butterflies?
Thicker
black
veins
usually
means
female
Black dot
means
male
butterfly
FEMALE
MALE
Male Monarch Butterflies have a small black spot on the lower
portion of each of their wings that female Monarchs do not
have. Also, female Monarchs tend to have thicker black vein
lines in their wings.
The Amazing Monarch Migration
The
Neovolcanic
Belt
Over the span of four
generations,
Monarchs complete
an incredible
migration to one of
three overwintering
East Coast sites in southern areas
of the continent.
Migration
Route
These sites include
coastal California, the
Neovolcanic belt of
Mexico, and the
southern tip of
Florida.
Follow the link to view a video clip of Monarch
Butterfly expert, Professor Lincoln Brower of Sweet
Briar College, explain the Monarch migration and
overwintering:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WHIZNvEo1g
Tagging Monarchs
In order to learn more about the huge numbers of migrating
Monarchs and the great migration itself, Monarch tracking
programs have been developed where individual Monarchs
are caught, numbered and tagged at no harm to the insect.
The Village of Angangueo
Angangueo, a small Mexican village, is located next to one of
the most important overwintering sites for the migrating
Monarchs.
The village is attempting to take steps to prevent the illegal
logging of nearby forests to protect the Monarch, but it is a
challenge.
Some of the lands around Angangueo have been designated
as part of a Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve under the
UN Biosphere Program, which is a positive step towards
protecting the Monarchs.
Above is a picture of Monarchs in flight taken
on the Biosphere Reserve.
ILLEGAL LOGGING
Illegal logging of the roosting forests in Mexico of the overwintering
Monarchs is one of the leading causes of the Monarch Butterfly’s
recent population declines.
The Consequences of Illegal Logging
The thinning of the forests caused by illegal logging reduces the
Monarchs’ habitat. It also makes the overwintering Butterflies
susceptible to wind and temperature changes that kill hundreds of
millions of Monarchs like the ones shown below.
Unfortunately, tourism, a promising economic alternative to illegal logging,
is difficult to promote because of the language barrier.
By establishing the Sister Cities International Program between our
local communities and the Village of Angangueo, we would have
opportunities to collaborate with the village and contribute to the
preservation of the Monarch.
A Sign
Marking a
Butterfly
Reserve
in Mexico
Learn More About the Sister City Program at www.sister-cities.org
A Sister City Success
Arlington, VA founded a Sister City Association under Sister Cities
International. They are a Sister City to Aachen, Germany,
Coyoacan, Mexico, Reims, France, and San Miguel, El Salvador.
Participation in Sister Cities International has provided:
• Arts and Culture Partnerships
• Economic Development Opportunities
• Educational and Professional Exchanges
• Global Tourism and Visitation
How Can You Help?
There are several ways you can make a difference in the
preservation of the Monarch Butterfly as well as many other
beautiful butterfly and native plant species.
You Can Plant a Native Plant Butterfly Garden
To Have a Successful Butterfly Garden You Will Need:
 At least 5 hours of sunlight daily
 Shallow water sources (such as small mud puddles)
 Shelter from harsh winds
 Flat stones for resting and sunning
 Native nectar plants
 And native caterpillar host plants
How to Get Started on Your Butterfly Garden
Here are some useful local contacts and resources that can
help you with planning a native butterfly garden:
• Master Gardeners
Rockbridge Extension Office
P.O. Drawer 897
Lexington, VA 24450
540-463-4734
E-mail:mary@adkinsweb.com
• Boxerwood Gardens
963 Ross Rd.
Lexington, VA 24450
540-463-2697
E-mail: kb@boxerwood.org
Map of Boxerwood Gardens
• The Live Monarch Foundation
- www.livemonarch.com
At livemonarch.com, you can:
- Sign up to receive free Milkweed seed packets
- Order live Monarch adults to release in your
garden
- Learn more about their work saving the Monarch
- And much more!
Looking for a More Laid-Back Approach?
Let part of your backyard or acreage grow wild and natural.
Excessive mowing and spraying of pesticides is harmful to
Monarch Butterfly habitat. So in this case, less work can
mean more reward!
You can also certify your yard or property as Backyard Wildlife
Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation.
Follow the link to watch a video clip about certifying your yard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0EjNAEXMuw
TO LEARN MORE GO TO: www.nwf.org
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Picture 1, Slide 2: http://www.inhs.illinois.edu/inhsreports/sep-oct99/monarch.gif
Picture 2, Slide 2: http://blog.mongabay.com/2007/12/
Picture 1, Slide 3: http://www.fluvannamg.org/images/vce/20070924-MilkweedMonarch.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 4: http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/on/pelee/natcul/~/media/pn-np/on/Pelee/k-m/lifecycle_e.ashx
Picture 1, Slide 5: www.google.com
Picture 1, Slide 6: http://williamthecoroner.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/common-milkweed.jpg
Picture 2, Slide 6: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1076/1202943861_2598210fe2.jpg?v=0
Picture 3, Slide 6: http://k43.pbase.com/o4/48/95248/1/65105265.OZIfsVJH.47693502.MonarchCatMilkweed2.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 7: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_81Nc_4nc1kQ/SehWJ9lG_OI/AAAAAAAACxc/1XatcZ7Z-vY/s400/BILD3436.JPG
Picture 2, Slide 7: http://www.shutterpoint.com/photos/A/650974-Common-Milkweed_view.jpg
Picture 3, Slide 7: http://www.freemilkweedseed.com/images/mwseed6.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 8: http://www.greatstems.com/swampmilkweed07-31-09.jpg
Picture 2, Slide 8: http://www.abnativeplants.com/_ccLib/image/plants/DETA-84.jpg
Picture 3, Slide 8: http://www.remarc.com/craig/images/swamp_milkweed_seedx500.jpg
Toxin facts, Slide 9: http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/index.htm
Picture 1, Slide 9: http://www.wildwisconsinweb.com/Gallery/images/Monarch%20Butterfly.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 10: http://www.fieldmuseum.org/butterfly/butterfly_collection/Collection_page/images/z94203c_Limen.jpg
Picture 2, Slide 10: http://www.alainopina.com/webdev2/webdev%20activities/019a-monarch_butterfly.jpg
Picture 1-2-Information, Slide 11: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/MaleFemaleQA.html
Picture 1, Slide 12: http://www.mythinglinks.org/MonarchButterfly_migration_map2.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 13: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WHIZNvEo1g&feature=player_embedded
Picture 1, Slide 14: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OsidO2UbunA/SsEqaN6MDeI/AAAAAAAABcE/moLw_E3Y5TA/s400/monarch+tagged.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 15: http://images.travelpod.com/users/mebiner/2.1230825420.angangueo.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 16: http://spiritofbutterflies.com/jose%20luis%20in%20cerro%20pelon.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 17: http://www.ecolifefoundation.org/landing_page_images/lead_image.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 18: http://www.sister-cities.org/
Picture 2, Slide 18: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/newsletter/images2009/2009-12_Clickenger_butterfly-reserve_SA_Trip_MEXICO-1108225x300.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 19: http://butterflybush.net/blog/wp-content/gallery/butterfly-garden/Butterfly-Garden-big.jpg
Garden Facts, Slide 19: http://butterflywebsite.com/butterflygardening.cfm
Plant Facts, Slide 20: http://www.gardenguides.com/84019-native-virginia-plants-butterfly-garden.html
Information, Slide 22: www.livemonarch.com
Picture 1, Slide 22: http://www.rickyseabra.com/ISADORA%20THESIS%20CD/imagesfiles/monarch.jpg
Picture 1, Slide 23: http://danelope.net/m45/Spring/PuffField615.jpg
Picture 2, Slide 23: http://distantgardens.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/dsc_0131.jpg
Picture 3, Slide 23: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5By9Ok5qyHQ/Si1_dbOwEvI/AAAAAAAAAsc/3RR9LS9D10w/s400/DSC01142.JP