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Monarch butterflies

Danaus plexippus

Photo by GedeGembel
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

The monarch butterfly is reddish-orange with black vein-like markings. There is a black border around its wings with white spots on it. Its wings look like stained glass windows! When its wings are open, they are about four inches wide. Males and females are similar in appearance, but the the black veins are thicker on the female's wings and the male has small pouches on their hind wings where they store pheromones. The bright orange of the monarch is a type of advertising coloration that warns predators away

Habitat:

In the spring and summer, the monarch butterfly's habitat is open fields and meadows with milkweed. In winter it can be found on the coast of southern California and at high altitudes in central Mexico.(but why are there also in Indonesia?)

Species ID Suggestions

Acrea

Acraea serena

Tawny coster

Acraea terpsicore

Comments (5)

I forgot to give you the id for this the other day! Please can you change the main title & the scientific name to the correct species. Thanks Gede!
Please check this link - http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Africa%20-%20Acraea%20serena.htm I think you may have an Acraea butterfly which looks similar to the monarch in the second link. http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/North%20America%20thumbs.htm
ok Karen, thanks for info, it's already change..
Lovely! Again, please use the butterflies common name as the main title & the scientific name if you know it in the scientific name field. You just need to click on edit & make these changes. Thanks!
Photographed
PublishedDecember 1, 2011

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