One of the most commonly recognized butterflies, the monarch has large swaths of orange on its wings with outer rings of black lines and white spots. Its wingspan is about 10 cm (4 inches).
Monarch butterflies migrate farther than any other species of insect, up to 4,023 km (2,500 miles). Populations born west of the Rocky Mountains generally spend their winters in southern and central California, since they cannot withstand the cold temperatures. Every October, monarch butterflies return to specific trees on the Monterey Peninsula.
Although adult monarchs typically live only 2-6 weeks, the last generation to hatch before the winter can live 8-9 months because it matures much more slowly. This is the generation seen "wintering" in California. Monarch butterflies store a poison from eating the leaves of the milkweed plant in their larva stage that provides a poisonous defense against some predators.
Photo credit: ©Kip Evans
