#danaus plexippus

[heartnosekid]

butterflygardeninginspirations on ig

butterflies in order: gifs 1, 3, 5, 7, & 9 are the monarch butterfly (danaus plexippus), orange-barred sulphur (phoebis philea), gulf fritillary (agraulis vanillae), eastern black swallowtail (papilio polyxenes), and another gulf fritillary.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

I remember as a kid in the 80s that these iconic large butterflies were everywhere in our garden, along with swallowtails of several species. It's been so disheartening to see an insect that was so plentiful be on the brink of extinction just a few decades later.

Individually we can only do so much about the effects of anthropogenic climate change, but here are a few things you can do to help monarch butterflies if you're in their range:

--No pesticides! These chemicals don't discriminate, and will harm all sorts of insects, not just the intended targets. In fact, the fewer yard chemicals you use, the better for your local ecosystem.

--Plant milkweed that is native to your area; even a few plants in pots count! Live Monarch (US), Monarch Watch (US), and Little Wings (Canada) all have free native milkweed seeds on a limited basis--and they appreciate donations of funds to help pay for more, too. Be aware that a lot of the milkweed on the general market consists of non-native tropical species that host parasites and also bloom late enough that they may cause monarchs to stop migrating south to overwintering grounds.

--Put out a watering station consisting of a shallow dish with a layer of rocks on the bottom and just enough water to not quite cover them so the butterflies can land and safely drink water without falling in.

--Support organizations like the ones mentioned above, and the Xerces Society of Invertebrate Conservation, which all help to protect monarch butterflies and other invertebrates.

[talulamerriwether]

miniature paintings by Talula Merriwether, available here (commissions open)

[yeahponcho]

you all know me as the bearded dragon guy, but did you know my mom and I help raise, tag and release monarch butterflies every year? our yard is even registered as a monarch waystation with monarch watch :D

so far this year we've released around 170 butterflies and we've got more to go!! much of our back yard is milkweed and other native plants to help not only monarchs but all sorts of insects!

[rjalker]

once again making a variation of this post:

If you are going to plant milkweed to help monarch butterflies, you are not allowed to get mad at other insects who come to the plant and eat the caterpillars. They are also starved for the habitat that milkweed provides, and they are not evil or bad or cruel for continuing their natural role in the ecosystem as predators of small caterpillars.

Planting milkweed helps monarch butterflies. It also helps more species than I can count or even list off the top of my head. Milkweed does not exist for the sole benefit of monarch butterflies.

If you want the monarch caterpillars to not get eaten, then you can buy a butterfly cage or build one and bring any caterpillars you find on the main plant into the cage with some potted milkweed, and keep them in there until they emerge as adults.

Nature is going to keep doing its thing whether people have decided monarchs are the most important species on that plant or not. The species that prey on monarch caterpillars are not being mean, or cruel. They do not know that monarchs are endangered, and neither do the monarchs. The predators of monarch caterpillars are playing the same role they've played for thousands of years - population control.

It's not their fault monarchs are endangered. Habitat loss and climate change are the reason monarchs are endangered.

You are not allowed to blame native species for doing their job on native plants in their native ecosystem.

If you look at a milkweed plant covered in half a dozen or more different species and your response is "Ugh! But I planted this just for the monarchs!" you need to learn and care more about habitat restoration instead of only caring about the pretty butterflies.

If your single milkweed plants has half a dozen different species living on it and this upsets you, then you really need to start thinking about the word ecosystem and start realizing, "oh, if this single plant is enough to attract all these species, then they must be desperate for habitat".

If you're mad that monarch caterpillars are being eaten on milkweed you planted, then here are your options:

Get a butterfly cage or build one. It should remain outdoors. Get several milkweed plants that are in pots that can fit inside the cage. Check the main milkweed plant for caterpillars whenever possible, and if you find them, transfer them into the butterfly cage onto the milkweed in there. Keep them in there until they form chysalises and emerge as adults. If you aren't home very often, you can look up youtube videos of how to gently remove the chrysalis and hang it up outside so the adults can fly away whenever they're ready to.

Plant more milkweed. Plant as many species of milkweed are native to your area that you can get your hands on. Spread milkweed seeds wherever it will be able to grow. Encourage your neighbors and friends to grow milkweed. Save the seeds and give the seeds away for free, and spread them in wild areas where other plants are allowed to grow (Try to avoid areas that get mowed down or tended to)

Figure out a way to cope with the fact that the natural cycle of life doesn't make exceptions for endangered species. It is not wrong or bad or evil or mean or cruel for monarch caterpillars to get eaten by their natural predators. Take pictures of the other species you find on the milkweed, research what they are. If you use iNaturalist, make observations for them. Learn to appreciate all the species native to your environment, not just the pretty butterflies.

Actually, planting more milkweed should be your #1 priority. The point of planting milkweed is to restore habitat. If the only habitat available is the single plant in your garden of otherwise non-native species, then yeah, you need to plant more milkweed.

[crudlynaturephotos]

[rattyexplores]

What a Marvelous Sight!

This is my first time seeing Monarch caterpillars for myself, and aren't they sweet! I have seen adults and pupae of this species up north, but I wasn't able to find any caterpillars.

I finally found them in Sydney!

Danaus plexippus - Feeding on Gomphocarpus physocarpus

24/03/23 - NSW, Dapto

[wildflowers-of-southern-ontario]

Monarch Danaus plexippus Nymphalidae

Photograph taken on August 20, 2022, at Marmora and Lake, Ontario, Canada.

[colorsoutofearth]

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) overwintering in Mexico

Photos 1 and 4 by Claudio Contreras

Photos 2 and 3 by Ingo Arndt

[heartnosekid]

pepe_soho on ig

[vandaliatraveler]

A plump, resplendent chomper goes to town on a milkweed plant at the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

[naturephiliashop]

started out as just wire-shaped wings stitched on felt to a full fledged 3D hand embroidered Monarch Butterfly ✨🪡✨

this piece is one-of-a-kind and currently available for sale in my shop; sold as a pair with an embroidered Monarch Chrysalis simply because a butterfly would never exist without time spent inside a cocoon 🐛🦋🧡

[yeahponcho]

as of today we've released 296 monarchs this year! here's just a few of them I've let go 🧡

[tenderanarchist]

Some chunky monarch cats 🌿

[crudlynaturephotos]

[sunshinesight]

Please vote for my entry in the Spoonflower the Skies Above Bedding Design Challenge:

https://www.spoonflower.com/design-challenge/the-skies-above-bedding-2023-08/vote

Voting is open until 3pm on 1 August 2023.

my entry: monarch butterflies at sunset

You don’t need an account to vote, but it requires a captcha.