Beautiful monarch's diet deadly for its predators
Probably one of the most researched, studied, filmed, and recognized butterflies of them all, monarch butterflies sport some of the most wonderful fall colors you will see. But beware, those colors are a warning sign, as they not only taste awful, they are poisonous!
The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly, in that the females lay their eggs exclusively on this plant. The milkweed plants the larvae feed on contain a poisonous toxin, cardiac glycosides, which is stored in the larvae and adult bodies, causing them to taste terrible and making them poisonous to any that try to devour them. The adults will visit several other flowers for nectar before the milkweed blooms, including lilac, lantana, red clover, and thistles. And with a wingspan of three to four inches, the monarch can easily be seen in open fields, marshes, along the roadside, and in weedy areas. The male is bright orange in color with black borders and veins, while the female is an orange-brown color with wide black borders and blurred black veins. Both males and females have white spots on the borders and apex. This butterfly is often confused with the viceroy, which is similar in its coloration and is nasty tasting as well.
Found throughout the United States, Mexico, and up into Canada, the monarch is probably best known for the long migration they undertake during August through October. A truly spectacular event, it has been documented in several magazines and on some of the nature shows as well. There are three geographically distinct populations that make up the total North American range of the monarch.
There is one east and one west of the Rocky Mountains and one in Central America, with each having a very distinct migratory pattern. Those that live east of the Rockies migrate to the Sierra Nevada of Mexico. Those living west of the Rockies will migrate to southern California. Some may migrate to the Gulf coast or south Atlantic coast for the winter. It has been noted that Monarchs living in a warm tropical area do not migrate, but instead will make an altitude change during the dry season. The monarch has also been seen in Hawaii, Australia, and other Pacific islands.
This 3,000-mile journey is just amazing, because as they are flying, they face all the hardships the weather can throw at them. As they migrate to their wintering grounds, they feed on flower nectar and will roost in trees by the thousands at night. Then in the spring, as they migrate back to the north, the mated females will lay eggs along the way. Monarchs need a temperature of 86 degrees or higher for flight, thus the reason they are usually seen on plants that are in full sun.
The monarch I photographed for this article was so graceful going from flower to flower on the Mexican sunflowers I have growing, being ever so careful to avoid me. I am a patient person and I knew it would have to land eventually, or at least I hoped that was the case. And though I have milkweed plants in my garden, I have yet to actually “see” a butterfly on them. I have several butterflies roaming happily through my garden, and they are, for the most part, a welcome sight… until their larvae hatch, that is. Their children dine on my plants, stripping the plant of all that growth I have worked so hard on, most especially the parsley. Thankfully, my milkweeds are still there, so this one must have been a visitor to the area. It pays to keep your camera with you, for you just never know what will visit your garden!
The Monarch butterfly is a true wonder – grow some milkweed if you want to attract them to your garden and help keep them thriving.
Kathy Kinsey is a Master Gardener volunteer with UF/IFAS Leon County Extension. For gardening questions, email us at firstname.lastname@example.org