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Monarch (aka Wanderer)
Danaus plexippus
-28.075, 152.415
Field Notes
Description:
The monarch butterfly or simply "monarch" (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Aka wanderer in Australia, this species was introduced from North America c.1856, and not to be confused with the Australian native butterfly "lesser wanderer" (Danaus chrysippus). Wingspan up to 100 mm and a strong flyer, the adult butterfly is orange-brown with black veins and a black and white spotted band all around the wing margins. The main difference between the male and female is that the males have a 'sex mark' on the hindwing.
Habitat:
Spotted on the Mt. Mathieson Trail, in a clearing of tall grass and open forest at Mt. Mathieson, Spicers Gap. This area is a section of Main Range National Park, a World Heritage Area. Australian native flora in a mix of dry eucalypt forests and subtropical rainforest.
Notes:
The Monarch belongs to the family Nymphalidae. This is an interesting family group because most have a reduced pair of forelegs, and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called 'brush-footed butterflies' or 'four-footed butterflies' because they are known to stand on only four legs while the other two are curled up; in some species, these forelegs have a brush-like set of hairs, which gives this family its other common name.
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