Monarch Butterfly
Danaus plexippus
An orange-and-black butterfly whose caterpillars eat milkweed.
Editorial profile — not an identification of your photo.
- Group
- Insect
- Caterpillar food
- Milkweed
- Migration
- Some populations
The monarch is a well-known orange and black butterfly. According to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, its caterpillars feed on milkweed, and only some monarch populations migrate.
Typical traits
- Orange wings with black veins
- Black wing borders with white spots
- Striped caterpillars
Could be confused with
- Viceroy (smaller, with an extra black line on the hindwing)
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