• Home
  • User Settings
• Contact Us
  • Peter Eeles
  • Guy Padfield
  • Gary Richardson
  • Vince Massimo
• Biology
  • Anatomy
  • Courtship and Mating
  • Defences and Predation
  • Dispersal and Migration
  • Ecology
  • Establishment
  • Habitats
  • Life Cycle
  • Nutrition
  • Parasitism and Symbiosis
  • Taxonomy
  • Variation
    • Why Should We Care?
    • Examples of Variation
    • Why Vary?
    • Mechanics of Variation
    • Genetic Factors
    • Environmental Factors
• Community
  • Calendar
  • Forums
  • Personal Diaries
  • Photography
    • Annual Competitions
    • Personal Albums
    • Species-specific Photos
    • Species-specific Videos
  • Rules
  • How to Contribute
• Resources
  • FAQ
  • Glossary
  • Links
  • Policies
    • Breeding
    • Collecting
    • Introductions
    • Photography
  • Products
    • Apps
    • Books
    • DVDs
  • References
  • Reports
    • Articles
    • Interviews
    • Presentations
    • Press Releases
    • Reviews
    • Trip Reports
• Species
  • Aberrations
  • Butterflies and the Law
  • Conservation Status
  • Density
  • Distribution
  • Flight Times
    • Sorted by Date
    • Sorted by Species
    • Earliest Dates
  • History
  • Historic Specimens
  • Identification
    • Identify a Butterfly
    • Identify an Egg
    • Identify a Caterpillar
    • Identify a Chrysalis
    • Identify a Moth
    • Similar Species
  • Larval Foodplants
  • Nectar Sources
  • Secondary Species
  • Sightings
  • Sites
• Stock Photos
  • Basket
  • Browse Photos
  • Contributing
  • Terms and Conditions

Wingspan 95 - 100mm Photo © Pete Eeles

Monarch Danaus plexippus DAN-ee-us PLEK-see-puss B&F No.: 1630

Superfamily: Papilionoidea Family: Nymphalidae Subfamily: Danainae Genus: Danaus Subgenus:   Species: plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies: plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Introduction Phenology Habitat Larval Foodplants Nectar Sources Imago

Ovum Larva Pupa Similar Species Videos

Sites Conservation Status Links References

	Introduction

This species is the largest butterfly seen in the British Isles, and is also one of our rarest migrants. This butterfly is known for its ability to migrate across large distances. The migrations in north America are one of the greatest natural phenomena in the world - where the adult butterflies can migrate from as far north as Canada to the overwintering grounds in very specific sites in Mexico, the west coast of California and Florida. The first record of this species in the British Isles, by a schoolboy, was on 6th September 1876 in Neath in south Wales. Although initial records were thought to be the result of accidental transportation by ship, subsequent years, such as 1933 when 40 individuals were caught, meant that this theory was dismissed and that the most-likely cause was a genuine immigration.

The total number of records for the British Isles is less than 500. The most-recent major migration was in 1981 with 135 sightings. Many north American bird species were also recorded that year. However, there is still some question as to the true origin of this immigration since the species is also known from Madeira, southern Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands, which it reached in 1860 and survives using Asclepias curassavica as its foodplant.

The larva feeds on various Milkweeds (Asclepias species) which are not native to the British Isles, and this explains why the immature stages have not been found in the British Isles. However, in August 1981, a Monarch that had escaped from a nearby butterfly farm was seen to lay on Milkweeds in Kew Gardens. Some of the eggs were collected and reared indoors, where the first adult emerged just one month after the egg had been laid. This species is a rare migrant to the British Isles. Although there are records from many areas, sightings are concentrated in the south and west of both England and Ireland. There is a particular concentration in Cornwall and the Scilly Isles.

Subspecies: Danaus plexippus plexippus

The nominate subspecies was first defined in Linnaeus (1758) as shown here (type locality: North America). The population in the British Isles is represented by this subspecies.

Male Photo © Pete Eeles

Male Underside Photo © Pete Eeles

Female Photo © Pete Eeles

Female Underside Photo © Pete Eeles

	Phenology

Although sightings have been recorded from March to November in the British Isles, the peak is in September and October. These latter months correlate with the southward migration in north America and it is not unreasonable to believe that favourable winds have pushed some individuals across the Atlantic. Unfortunately, this spectacular insect is unable to survive our winter.

Subspecies: Danaus plexippus plexippus

	Habitat

Description to be completed

	Larval Foodplants

The primary larval foodplant is Milkweeds (various) (Asclepias spp.).

	Nectar Sources

Description to be completed

	Imago

The male butterfly is distinguished from the female by having less prominent black markings to the veins and conspicuous sex brands on the upperside of the hindwings.

Subspecies: Danaus plexippus plexippus

Photo © Pete Eeles 04-Oct-2004	Photo © Pete Eeles 24-Sep-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 24-Sep-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 24-Sep-2006
Photo © Pete Eeles 24-Sep-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 28-Sep-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 30-Sep-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 20-Aug-2005
Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009	Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009	Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009	Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009
Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009	Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009	Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009	Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009
Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009	Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009	Photo © Pete Eeles 07-Feb-2009	Photo © Sussex Kipper 09-Sep-2012

	Aberrations

Description to be completed.

Unclassified Aberrations

Photo © Nigel Venters

Photo © Donald Wilks

Photo © Nigel Venters

Photo © Don Wilkes

	Ovum

Eggs are laid singly on the foodplant and this stage lasts only 3 or 4 days.

Photo © Pete Eeles 20-Aug-2005

Photo © Brian Clegg

Photo © William Zittrich 26-Dec-2008

Photo © William Zittrich

	Larva

The larva eats its eggshell on hatching before feeding on the leaves of the foodplant. The larvae are conspicuously marked, providing a warning to predators that the larva is poisonous, having built up toxins that it obtains from the foodplant. These poisons are passed on to the adult butterfly. Depending on temperature, this stage can be completed in as little as 16 days.

Photo © Brian Clegg	Photo © Brian Clegg	Photo © William Zittrich 28-Dec-2008	Photo © William Zittrich
Photo © William Zittrich 05-Jan-2009	Photo © William Zittrich 28-Dec-2008	Photo © William Zittrich	Photo © Pete Eeles 13-Jun-2010
Photo © Pete Eeles 13-Jun-2010	Photo © Pete Eeles 13-Jun-2010

	Pupa

The pupa hangs head-down from a stem or leaf, attached by its cremaster. This stage lasts around 2 weeks.

Photo © Pete Eeles 06-Oct-2004

Photo © Pete Eeles 24-Sep-2006

Photo © William Zittrich

	Similar Species

No similar species found.

	Videos

Play Video	Play Video	Play Video	Play Video
Play Video	Play Video	Play Video	Play Video
Play Video	Play Video	Play Video	Play Video
Play Video	Play Video	Play Video	Play Video
Play Video

	Sites

No sites found.

	Conservation Status

This species is a rare migrant and no conservation action is relevant.

	Links

The following links provide additional information on this butterfly.

• British Butterflies by Steven Cheshire
• European Butterflies by Christopher Jonko
• European Butterflies by Matt Rowlings
• Guy Padfield's European Butterfly Page
• Monarch Watch
• Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa
• Natural History Museum (Cockayne Database)
• UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme

	References

The species description provided here has been derived from the author's own observations and the information contained in the following works:

• Asher (2001). Asher, J., Warren, M., Fox, R., Harding, P., Jeffcoate, G. and Jeffcoate, S.: The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland. 2001.
• Fox (2006). Fox, R., Asher, J., Brereton, T., Roy, D. and Warren, M.: The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland. 2006.
• Frohawk (1914). Frohawk, F.W.: A Natural History of British Butterflies. 1914.
• Howarth (1973). Howarth, T.G.: South's British Butterflies. 1973.
• Nash (2012). Nash, D., Boyd, T. and Hardiman, D.: Ireland's Butterflies: A Review. 2012.
• Riley (2007). Riley, A.M.: British and Irish Butterflies: The Complete Identification, Field and Site Guide to the Species, Subspecies and Forms. 2007.
• South (1906). South, R.: The Butterflies Of The British Isles. 1906.
• Thomas & Lewington (2010). Thomas, J. and Lewington, R.: The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland. Edn.2. 2010.

Site brought to you by Webified
Copyright © Peter Eeles 2002-2012
All rights are reserved
Administrator Login