(Top) male monarch butterfly (below) female monarch butterfly
The monarch butterfly's wingspan is 3-4 inches.
The gender of a monarch is pretty easy to determine. The male's black veins on his wing are thin and on his hind wings he has two black spots. The female's veins are thick and do not have spots.
Since its a butterfly, of course the monarch sips nectar from flowers. But the monarch caterpillar (monarch larva) eats milkweed or plants in the milkweed family only. The milkweed contains a substance that is poisonous to invertebrates. Unfortunatly this substance is not poisonous to insects such as wasps and spiders.
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Scientific name: Danaus Plexippus
- Lifespan: Up to one year
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