The monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, is a lepidopteter whose main difference with other butterfly species is that it migrates a lot of kilometers.
The monarch butterfly has a very special life cycle, which varies depending on the generation in which it lives, its normal life cycle is as follows: it lives 4 days as an egg, 2 weeks as a caterpillar, 10 days as a chrysalis and 2 days to 6 weeks as an adult butterfly.
- However.
- Butterflies born from late August to early autumn live 9 months.
- Are called Methusalén Gerusal.
- And it is the butterflies that migrate from Canada to Mexico and vice versa.
- Continue reading this article by Animal Expert where we tell you all the most relevant points of the butterfly monarch migration.
Monarch butterflies are between 9 and 10 cm long and weigh half a gram; females are smaller, have thinner wings and darker color; males have a vein in their wings that releases pheromones.
After mating, they lay their eggs on plants called Asclepias (butterfly flower).When the larvae are born, they feed on the rest of the egg and the plant itself.
By devouring the butterfly flower, the larva turns into a caterpillar with a striped pattern typical of the species.
Monarch caterpillars and butterflies have an unpleasant taste for predators. In addition, its bad taste is also toxic.
Butterflies migrating from Canada to Mexico on a round trip have an unusually long lifespan.This special generation is called the Methuselah generation.
Monarch butterflies migrate south in late summer and early fall, travel more than 5,000 km to reach their destination in Mexico or California to spend the winter, after 5 months, in spring, the Methuselah generation returns to the north . , millions of specimens migrate.
Butterflies in the eastern Rocky Mountains hibernate in Mexico, while butterflies in the western range hibernate in California.Mexico’s monarch butterflies hibernate in pine and fir forests more than 3,000 meters high.
Most of the areas where monarch butterflies live during winter were declared in 2008: Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. California monarch butterflies hibernate in eucalyptus trees.
Adult monarch butterflies and their caterpillars are toxic, but some species of birds and mice are immune to their venom.One bird that can feed on the monarch butterfly is Pheucticus melanocephalus.This bird is also migratory.
There are monarch butterflies that do not migrate and live all year round in Mexico.
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