Monarch

Description:

The monarch butterfly is reddish-orange with black vein-like markings. There is a black border around its wings with white spots on it. Its wings look like stained glass windows! When its wings are open, they are about four inches wide. Males and females are similar in appearance, but the the black veins are thicker on the female's wings and the male has small pouches on their hind wings where they store pheromones. The bright orange of the monarch is a type of advertising coloration that warns predators away.

Habitat:

Wildlife habitat yard.

Notes:

The monarch butterfly is a long-distance migrator! It migrates both north and south like birds do. But, unlike birds, individual butterflies don't complete migration both ways. It is their great-grandchildren that end up back at the starting point.