Lifestyle of the Monarch Butterfly~
In this section of the website, you will learn about the monarch butterflies' behavior as well as diet. This includes how they interact with each other and individually, and what kinds of plants they eat.
Behavior
Monarch butterflies produce four generations during one summer. In February and March, monarchs start to be active from hibernation in Mexico and Southern California. They find a mate and start flying north. The first generation is born in March and April. When May and June comes, the second generation starts. The third generation is born in July and August. These first three generations have about two to six weeks of life span. They will continue to move north. The fourth generation starts in September and October. During this time, the monarch butterflies will migrate south. Their life span is about six to eight months. After winter passes, the generation cycle will restart again. You will learn more about the migration of the monarch butterfly in the "Migration" tab.
Diet
When monarch butterflies are in their larva stage, they feed exclusively on milkweed plants. Caterpillars eat by using their strong mandibles, or mouth and jaws, to chew on leaves of milkweed plants. As adults, they get their nutrients from the nectar of flowers, just like honey bees. They eat by using their proboscis, a long narrow tube in their mouth that acts like a straw to drink the nectar from the flower.
When it is time to lay their eggs, they return to where there is a lot of milkweed plant. This is so the larva can eat and grow when it is born. Remember, the larva cannot fly, therefore, the caterpillar must be born where there is food. The plants they feed contains a poisonous toxin. When monarchs eat, they store this in their bodies. This is what makes monarch butterflies taste so terrible to predators.
Monarch butterflies are very beneficial. When adult monarchs drink the nectar, they pollinate flowers. Although they are poisonous, they are food sources for a lot of animals like spiders.
When it is time to lay their eggs, they return to where there is a lot of milkweed plant. This is so the larva can eat and grow when it is born. Remember, the larva cannot fly, therefore, the caterpillar must be born where there is food. The plants they feed contains a poisonous toxin. When monarchs eat, they store this in their bodies. This is what makes monarch butterflies taste so terrible to predators.
Monarch butterflies are very beneficial. When adult monarchs drink the nectar, they pollinate flowers. Although they are poisonous, they are food sources for a lot of animals like spiders.
Habitat
In spring and summer, the monarch butterfly's habitat would be in open fields, meadows, roadsides, and sandy areas where milkweeds would be found. In winter, you can find them on the coast of Southern California and Central Mexico. During the warm seasons, you can find monarch butterflies anywhere milkweeds or flowering plants would be found. Monarchs only breed where milkweeds are found. Milkweeds and flowers are essential for monarch butterflies' habitat.