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Milkweed Butterfly Collection

The milkweed butterfly, scientifically known as Danaus plexippus, is a captivating species that belongs to the family Nymphalidae

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), in wintering from November to March in Oyamel pine forests

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), in wintering from November to March in Oyamel pine forests (Abies religiosa) Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, Florida

Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, Florida

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) nectaring on Purple Loosestrife in wet meadow

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) nectaring on Purple Loosestrife in wet meadow, East Haddam, Connecticut, USA

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) nectaring on endemic Daisy tree (Scalesia villosa) flowers

Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) nectaring on endemic Daisy tree (Scalesia villosa) flowers. Floreana Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) expanding wings after emerging from chrysalis on Aquatic

Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) expanding wings after emerging from chrysalis on Aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis). Hill Country, Texas, USA. Sequence 12/12

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) Marion County

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) Marion County, Illinois

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) emerging from chrysalis on Aquatic milkweed

Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) emerging from chrysalis on Aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis). Hill Country, Texas, USA. Sequence 1/12

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya) Clinton County

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya) Clinton County, Illinois

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium), Marion County

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium), Marion County, Illinois

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) flying during a warm morning

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) flying during a warm morning. When the overwintering period draws to an end large numbers become active. Michoacan, Mexico, February

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) wintering in Oyamel pine forests (Abies religiosa)

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) wintering in Oyamel pine forests (Abies religiosa) Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve / Reserva de Biosfera de la Mariposa Monarca UNESCO World Heritage Site

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), three nectaring on Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), three nectaring on Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), resting on red bracts. In butterfly house, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Lantana sp. Marion County, Illinois

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Lantana sp. Marion County, Illinois

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterfly recently hatched and is unraveling its wings while resting, Danaus plexippus

Monarch butterfly recently hatched and is unraveling its wings while resting, Danaus plexippus, Florida

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Queen butterfly, Danaus gilippus, Florida

Queen butterfly, Danaus gilippus, Florida

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Lantana sp. Marion Co. IL

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on Lantana sp. Marion Co. IL

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: RF - Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) with life-cycle tied to the presence of milkweed plants

RF - Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) with life-cycle tied to the presence of milkweed plants (Asclepias sp). East Haddam, Connecticut, USA. September

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on Goldenrod, New Brunswick, Canada, September

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on Goldenrod, New Brunswick, Canada, September

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Danaus chrysippus, plain tiger butterfly

Danaus chrysippus, plain tiger butterfly
Photograph of a specimen of a plain tiger butterfly collected from Southern Europe

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterfly resting on a flowering plant

Monarch butterfly resting on a flowering plant
Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) resting on a flowering plant in a butterfly pavilion; Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Millions of monarch butterflies travel to winter roosts in Mexico

Millions of monarch butterflies travel to winter roosts in Mexico
Millions of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) cover every inch of a tree in Sierra Chincua while in travel to winter roosts in Mexico; Sierra Chincua, Mexico

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch Butterfly In Daisies

Monarch Butterfly In Daisies

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Kitten And Monarch Butterfly

Kitten And Monarch Butterfly

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch Butterfly On Sunflower

Monarch Butterfly On Sunflower

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterfly on flower

Monarch butterfly on flower
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) On Flower

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on Milkweed plant, side view

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on Milkweed plant, side view

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Cerro Pelon Monarch Butterfly Biosphere, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mexico, North

Cerro Pelon Monarch Butterfly Biosphere, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mexico, North America

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Tirumala ishmoides ishmoides

Tirumala ishmoides ishmoides from Sulawezi, male, upper side. A butterfly specimen held in the Natural History Museums Entomology Collections

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch (Danaus plexippus) pupa / chrysalis before emergence Marion Co. IL

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) pupa / chrysalis before emergence Marion Co. IL
Monarch (Danaus Plexippus) pupa, chrysalis before emergence Marion County, Illinois

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch (Danaus plexippus) larva (caterpillar) in prepupal J before pupating-forming

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) larva (caterpillar) in prepupal J before pupating-forming
Monarch (Danaus Plexippus) larva (caterpillar) in prepupal J before pupating-forming chrysalis (pupa) Marion County, Illinois

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch Butterflies (Danus plexippus) roosting in Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Monarch Butterflies (Danus plexippus) roosting in Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) Prairie Ridge State Natural Area, Marion County, Illinois

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch Butterflies(Danaus plexippus) in Pine Trees, El Rosario Butterfly Reserve

Monarch Butterflies(Danaus plexippus) in Pine Trees, El Rosario Butterfly Reserve, Michoacan, Mexico

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch Butterflies(Danaus plexippus)nectaring on flower, El Rosario Butterfly Reserve

Monarch Butterflies(Danaus plexippus)nectaring on flower, El Rosario Butterfly Reserve, Michoacan, Mexico

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch Butterflies(Danaus plexippus) on Pine Tree, El Rosario Butterfly Reserve

Monarch Butterflies(Danaus plexippus) on Pine Tree, El Rosario Butterfly Reserve, Michoacan, Mexico

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Butterfly antenna, SEM C016 / 9420

Butterfly antenna, SEM C016 / 9420
Butterfly antenna. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the antenna from a monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Milkweed butterfly caterpillar, SEM C016 / 8030

Milkweed butterfly caterpillar, SEM C016 / 8030
Milkweed butterfly caterpillar. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the upper side of the larva of a milkweed (Euploea sp.) butterfly, showing its head (light, top)

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Milkweed butterfly caterpillar, SEM C016 / 8029

Milkweed butterfly caterpillar, SEM C016 / 8029
Milkweed butterfly caterpillar. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the underside of the larva of a milkweed (Euploea sp.) butterfly

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch butterfly C016 / 5678

Monarch butterfly C016 / 5678
Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) mounted specimen

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Mounted milkweed butterflies C016 / 5555

Mounted milkweed butterflies C016 / 5555
Mounted milkweed butterflies (Danaidae sp.) preserved between sheets of mica. Folio 20 from a volume of Petiver insects, Natural History Museum, London, UK

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Danaus melanippus taimanu

Danaus melanippus taimanu from Sumba Island (Indonesia), male, upper side. A butterfly specimen held in the Natural History Museums Entomology Collections

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Parantica dabrerai

Parantica dabrerai from Sulawezi, male, upper side. A butterfly specimen held in the Natural History Museums Entomology Collections

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Danaus melanippus haruhasa

Danaus melanippus haruhasa from the Lesser Sunda Islands (Indonesia), male, upper side. A butterfly specimen held in the Natural History Museums Entomology Collections

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Ideopsis juventa tawaya

Ideopsis juventa tawaya from Sulawezi, male, upper side. A butterfly specimen held in the Natural History Museums Entomology Collections

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Danaus ismare alba

Danaus ismare alba from Sulawezi (Indonesia), male, upper side. A butterfly specimen held in the Natural History Museums Entomology Collections

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Danaus gilippus, Queen butterfly

Danaus gilippus, Queen butterfly
Photograph of a mounted specimen of the Queen, which occurs on the Galapagos Islands

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Papilio glaucus, Eastern tiger swallowtail

Papilio glaucus, Eastern tiger swallowtail
Plate from an album of unpublished watercolours of Lepidoptera by Eleazar Albin, 1720

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Danaus plexippus, monarch caterpillar

Danaus plexippus, monarch caterpillar
The stripy caterpillar of the monarch butterfly feeding on a leaf. The monarch is the largest butterfly found in U.K but is not actually native

Background imageMilkweed Butterfly Collection: Monarch Butterflies(Danaus plexippus) in flight, El Rosario Butterfly Reserve, Michoacan

Monarch Butterflies(Danaus plexippus) in flight, El Rosario Butterfly Reserve, Michoacan, Mexico



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The milkweed butterfly, scientifically known as Danaus plexippus, is a captivating species that belongs to the family Nymphalidae. Also referred to as the monarch butterfly, this iconic insect has distinctive orange and black wings with white spots along the edges. Native to North America, these butterflies are renowned for their remarkable migratory behavior. During winter months from November to March, monarch butterflies can be found seeking refuge in Oyamel pine forests. These majestic creatures form dense clusters on tree branches, creating an awe-inspiring sight amidst the tranquil forest landscape. The vibrant hues of their wings stand out against the green backdrop of nature's sanctuary. In warmer seasons, both monarch and queen butterflies (Danaus gilippus) can be observed gracefully fluttering from flower to flower in search of nectar-rich sources. Whether it is endemic Daisy trees (Scalesia villosa) on Floreana Island in the Galapagos Islands or Purple Loosestrife in a wet meadow, these delicate insects play a crucial role as pollinators. Witnessing a queen butterfly emerging from its chrysalis on Aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis) is truly enchanting. In Hill Country, Texas, USA. , one can witness this magical moment where these beautiful creatures unfold their wings and prepare for flight – a symbol of transformation and rebirth. Monarch butterflies also find solace on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya), Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium), and other native plants across different regions. Their presence not only adds splendor but also contributes significantly to maintaining ecological balance by aiding in pollination. On warm mornings when sunlight bathes the surroundings with golden rays, groups of monarch butterflies take flight together - an ethereal spectacle that showcases the resilience and beauty of these delicate creatures.