Biology 101 power point presentation on monarch butterflies

The Life of the Monarch Butterfly

by Stephanie Pitts

(Stein, 2007)

The Monarch butterfly is a stunning species with many people following them during their lives. They exhibit a certain beauty throughout all of their life stages and their migration is fascinating to most everyone that studies them.

The fact that their numbers are decreasing has scientists, gardeners, and wildlife enthusiasts concerned and looking for ways to preserve these amazing creatures.

Here we’ll take a closer look at the life of the Monarch butterfly.

ClassificationKingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies (excluding skippers))

Family Nymphalidae (Brushfooted Butterflies)

Subfamily Danainae (Milkweed Butterflies & Glasswings)

Tribe Danaini (Milkweed Butterflies)

Genus Danaus

Species plexippus (Monarch)

(www.bugguide.net)

(Sherri.VandenAkker, 2010)

Identifying Monarch Butterflies

Large, no tails

Above and Below:

Orange with black lined

veins; black border with

small white spots;

hindwings have no

horizontal bar crossing

the veins (as in Viceroy)

(Stokes 33). (Mazur, 2009)

Viceroy

MonarchMonarch

(White, 2006)

Identifying Male and Female Butterflies

Female Butterfly Thick vein

pigmentation No hindwing pouches

(www.monarchwatch.org)

Male Butterfly Thin vein pigmentation Swollen pouches on

the hindwings (www.monarchwatch.org)

(TexasEagle, 2010) (TexasEagle, 2010)

MATING

Butterfl y sex is not as elegant an aff air as you might think. It seems that male monarch

butterfl ies conduct an all-out sperm war based on a crude measure of how much sperm is stored inside a female from a

previous mating.During sex the males physically restrain the

females for an entire day while injecting them with a fl uid which contains fertile sperm

as well as seemingly functionless cells without nuclei (NEW SCIENTIST).

(Jason Pier in DC, 2009)

Four life stages

Egg

Larva

Pupa

Adult

Egg (3-4 days) The eggs hatch about four days after they are laid. Approximate dimensions: 1.2mm high; 0.9mm wide (www.monarchwatch.org).

Each mother has roughly 200 eggs to deposit, and optimally, the eggs should be laid separately, among a number of milkweed plants, as a protection against sibling cannibalism (Kostyal).

EGG

(Samuel, 2011)

Larva (Caterpillar; 10-14 days) It is during this stage that Monarchs do all of their growing. They begin life by eating their eggshell, and then move on to the plant on which they were laid (www.monarchwatch.org).

When the caterpil lar has become too large for its skin, it molts, or sheds its skin. At fi rst, the new skin is very soft, and provides little support or protection. The new skin soon hardens and molds itself to the caterpillar, which often eats the shed skin before starting in anew on plant food! The intervals between molts are called instars. Monarchs go through fi ve instars . Approximate length of body at each stage: 1st instar, 2-6mm; 2nd instar, 6-9mm; 3rd instar, 10-14mm; 4th instar, 13-25mm; 5th instar, 25-45mm (www.monarchwatch.org).

LARVA (CATERPILLAR)

(puuikibeach, 2010)

(Sherri.VandenAkker, 2010)

PUPA (CHRYSALIS)

Pupa (Chrysalis; 10-14 days) During the pupal stage the transformation from larva to adult is completed. Pupae are much less mobile than larvae or adults, but they often exhibit sudden movements if they are disturbed. Like other butterfl ies, Monarch pupae are well-camoufl aged, since they have no other means of defense against predators (www.monarchwatch.org).

(puuikibeach, 2010) (puuikibeach, 2011)

They emerge as beautifully colored, black-orange-and-white adults. The colorful pattern makes monarchs easy to identify—and that's the idea. The distinctive pattern warns predators that the insects are foul tasting and poisonous (www.nationalgeographic.com).

No growth occurs in the adult stage, but Monarchs need to obtain nourishment to maintain their body and fuel it for fl ight.

(www.monarchwatch.org).

The primary job of the adult stage is to reproduce - to mate and lay the eggs that will become the next generation.

(www.monarchwatch.org).

ADULT (BUTTERFLY)

(LaBar, 2006)

M o n a r c h d e v e l o p m e n t f r o m e g g to a d u l t i s c o m p le te d i n a b o u t 3 0 d ay s .

( w w w. m o n a r c h w a tc h . o r g) .

To p u t a t r u e a v e r a g e o n th e l i f e s p a n o f a m o n a r c h b u t te r fl y, y o u w o u ld l i t e r a l l y h a v e to g o a l l o v e r th e w o r ld . Th e a n s w e r

i s d iff e r e n t a l l o v e r a n d i f y o u r e a l l y w a n t t o kn o w th e f u l l l i f e s p a n o f a m o n a r c h b u t te r fl y, y o u w i l l d e fi n i te l y h a v e to d o y o u r r e s e a r c h i n t o th e m o n a r c h s th a t l i v e i n y o u r a r e a o f th e w o r ld . I n th e U S A , a d u l t m o n a r c h s l i v e 2 - 6 w e e k s i f t h e y a r e i n th e fi r s t 3 g e n e r a t i o n s o f b u t t e r fl ie s i n th e y e a r. T h e

4 th g e n e r a t i o n c a n l i v e u p to e ig h t m o n th s b e c a u s e th e y h a v e t o d o a l o n g m ig r a t i o n ( w w w. m o n a r c h - b u t te r fl y. c o m) .

Life expectancy

FOOD FOR CATERPILLARS

Although the adult feeds on a vast range of plants, the caterpillar depends solely on milkweed (Baran).

Since the plant’s milky essence, its latex, is full of glycosides that are poisonous to other animals, the milkweed-sated monarchs are unpalatable to most predators (Kostyal).

FOOD FOR BUTTERFLIES

Nectar from flowers, which is about 20% sugar, provides most of their adult food. Monarchs are not very picky about the source of their nectar, and will visit many different flowers. They use their vision to find flowers, but once they land on a potential food source, they use taste receptors on their feet to find the nectar (www.monarchwatch.org).

Examples of Plants Monarchs Enjoy:

Blue Cardinal Flower, Bloodflower, Brazilian Verbena, Butterfly Bush, Butterfly Weed, Common Milkweed, Globe Amaranth, Heath Aster, Heliotrope, Joe-Pye Weed, Lantana, Late-flowering Boneset, Marigold, Mist Flower, Mustard Greens, New England Aster, New York Ironweed, Oriental Lilies, Showy Coneflower, Smooth Aster, Swamp Milkweed, Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower), Wingstem, Zinnia (The Butterfly Site.com).

There are two Monarch populat ions in North America.

A western populat ion l ives west of the Rockies and overwinters along the mid-Cal i fornia coast-most famously in Pacifi c Grove, on Monterey Bay (Kostyal) .

A much larger eastern populat ion graces the spr ings, summers, and ear ly fa l ls of the American pla ins and the East (Kostyal) . With the sun as a compass and the

Earth’s magnetic field as a navigational tool, the butterfl ies unerringly return to a small sweep of forest in Michoacan, a daunting 2,000 miles away (Kostyal).

Not too hot or too cold, the temperatures in the Mexican winter forests are just right for the monarchs during their months of dormancy (Kostyal).

MIGRATION

(oceandesetoiles, 2011)

THREATS & SOLUTIONS

Logging

Lack of Host Plants

Loss of Habitat Due to Pests

LOGGING

o

THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY BIOSPHERE RESERVE IS LOCATED IN THE NEOVOLCANIC MOUNTAIN RANGE OF CENTRAL MEXICO. IT IS ONLY HERE, IN PINE AND FIR FORESTS OF CENTRAL MEXICO, THAT THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY (DANAUS PLEXIPPUS) FINDS THE PRECISE MICROCLIMATIC CONDITIONS NECESSARY TO SURVIVE THE WINTER (HONEY-ROSÉS). IN FEBRUARY 2004, A MASSIVE LOGGING OPERATION OF MORE THAN 100 TRUCKS RAIDED THE CHINCUA MOUNTAIN OF THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY BIOSPHERE RESERVE. PARK MANAGERS WATCHED HELPLESSLY AS TRUCKS LOADED WITH TIMBER ROLLED PAST THE RANGER STATION AND OUT THE VISITOR ENTRANCE (HONEY-ROSÉS).

AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT TO ENLARGE THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE, FOREST OWNERS EXCHANGED LOGGING RIGHTS FOR ANNUAL PAYMENTS FROM THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION FUND, A US$6.5 MILLION CAPITAL FUND MANAGED BY WORLD WILDLIFE FUND MEXICO AND THE MEXICAN FUND FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE (HONEY-ROSÉS).

IN RESPONSE TO THE ORGANIZED ILLEGAL LOGGING, COMMUNITY LEADERS NEAR THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE HAVE ENLISTED VOLUNTARY BRIGADES TO PATROL THE FOREST DAY AND NIGHT. WHEN A LOGGING OPERATION IS SUSPECTED, THESE BRIGADES CAMP IN THE FOREST, ARMED AND READY TO CONFRONT INTRUDERS (HONEY-ROSÉS).

Common milkweed, Aspecias

syriaca, which the monarchs

prefer, has declined dramatically

in recent decades, a victim of

herbicides sprayed across farm

fi elds, particularly the Midwest,

and human development, which

has eliminated open fi elds where

milkweed thrives (Kostyal).

Because lawns are becoming more

manicured, there is more grass and

decorative foreign plants, and less

natural habitat with native plants

for butterfl ies to thrive.

LACK OF HOST PLANTS

(Gorman, 2010)

(Jpoyston,2010)

(Levisay, 2010)

In 2009, the infestation of bark beetles caused the loss of many trees in a sanctuary where the butterfl ies winter.

Bark beetles have existed for some time in the monarch reserve, usually attacking only a handful of trees at any one time. But drought earlier this year weakened as many as 9,000 oyamel fi rs, allowing the beetles to burrow in and tap the trees’ nutrients (Earthweek).

Pesticides would be the most eff ective way to eradicate the beetles, according to biologists, but they would also kill the butterfl ies if the winged insects arrived soon after the insecticides were applied (Earthweek)..

So park offi cials are fi ghting the infestation on a tree-by-tree basis. Bark is removed from the felled trees and buried. The remaining wood is being taken away to prevent the beetles from spreading (Earthweek)..

The forest canopy is critical to sheltering the monarchs from freezing rain and cold high-altitude nights during their fi ve-month winter stay (Earthweek). .

LOSS OF HABITAT DUE TO PESTS

(Emma T photography, 2011)

CONSIDER ADDING MONARCH CATERPILLAR HOST PLANTS TO

YOUR GARDEN

FILL YOUR GARDEN WITH NECTAR PLANTS THE ADULT

BUTTERFLIES ENJOY

DISCONTINUE USE OF GARDEN PESTICIDES

How You Can Help

Works CitedInformation

Baran, Myriam. Butterflies of the World. New York, New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2006. Print.

BugGuide.net. Iowa State University. n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2011.www.bugguide.net 22 Oct. 2011.

The Butterfly Site.com. “Butterfly Nectar Plants.” n.d. 12 Nov. 2011http://www.thebutterflysite.com/butterfly-food.shtml

Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet. “Beetle Infestation Threatens Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary.” 23 Oct. 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2011.  

<http://www.earthweek.com/2009/ew091023/ew091023c.html>

Honey-Rosés, Jordi. "Illegal Logging In Common Property Forests." Society & Natural Resources 22.10 (2009): 916-930. GreenFILE. Web. 13 Nov. 2011.

Kostyal, K.M. Great Migrations. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2010. Print.

Monarch-Butterfly.com. n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2011http://www.thebutterflysite.com/life-cycle.shtml

Monarch Watch. The Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas.n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. <www.monarchwatch.org>

Works CitedInformation

National Geographic. n.d. web. 23 Oct. 2011. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/monarch-butterfly/>

Powell, Devin. "The Monarch Butterfly's Sperm Wars." New Scientist 201.2690 (2009): 9. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.

Stokes, Donald W. and Linda Q. Stokes. Stokes Beginners Guide to Butterflies. New York, New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2001. Print.

Work CitedPhotographs

 Samuel. “Monarch Eggs.” 23 April 2011. Flickr.com. 22 Oct. 2011.

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/_sjg_/5647932690/>

 Emma T photography. “Monarch butterflies.” 14 Dec. 2006. Flickr.com. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/12066488@N00/379528405/>

 Gorman, Peter. “Purple Milkweed.” 19 Jun. 2010. Flickr.com. 23 Oct. 2011.<http://www.flickr.com/photos/52421717@N00/4718586781/>

Jason Pier in DC. “Two Monarch Butterflies Mating: Brookside Gardens_095.” 29 May 2009. Flickr.com. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonpier/3702986884/>

 jpoyston. “Swamp Milkweed.” 14 Aug., 2010. Flickr.com. 23 Oct. 2011.<http://www.flickr.com/photos/jpoyston/4894810686/>

 LaBar, Martin. “Monarch butterfly on butterfly weed.” 25 Aug. 2006. Flickr.com. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/martinlabar/254075049/>

 Levisay, Mark. “003ed.” 23 May 2010. Flickr.com. 26 Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlevisay/4632468261/>

Works CitedPhotographs continued

Mazur, Mark. “A Viceroy Butterfly.” 27 July, 2009. Flicker.com. 22 Oct. 2011.<http://www.flickr.com/photos/benimoto/3836891925/>

oceandesetoiles. “monarch butterfly migration routes.” 14 Sept. 2011. Flickr.com. 26 Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/ocean_of_stars/615073359/>

puuikibeach. “Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) Chrysalis.” 30 Dec. 2010. Flickr.com. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/puuikibeach/5308726037/>

puuikibeach. “Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) Chrysalis.” 6 Jan. 2011. Flickr.com. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/puuikibeach/5332420038/>

puuikibeach. “Monarch Butterfly - Larval Stage (Caterpillar).” 3 Jan. 2010. Flickr.com. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/puuikibeach/4243970616/>

Sherri.VandenAkker. “Monarch Butterfly, Butterfly Weed.” 1 July 2010. Flickr.com. 23 Oct. 2011. http://www.flickr.com/photos/63706019@N03/5798785566/

Sherri.VandenAkker. “Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar.” 20 Aug. 2010. Flickr.com. 23 Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/63706019@N03/5798236901/>

Stein, Paul. “Monarch Butterfly.” 7 Oct. 2007. Flickr.com. 26 Oct. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/kapkap/1532171622/>

TexasEagle. “Monarch Male and Female.” 24 July 2010. Flickr.com. 11 Nov. 2011.<http://www.flickr.com/photos/texaseagle/4839884878/ >

Works CitedPhotographs Continued

White, Ross. “monarch butterfly.” 29 Sept. 2006. Flickr.com 11 Nov. 2011. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/yarnivore/301628675>