0
Monarchs feed almost exclusively upon plants in the milkweed family, and toxic chemical compounds (cardiac glycosides) from the plants give the insect an unpleasant taste. The black and yellow stripes on the caterpillar and the striking black and orange colours of the adult serve as a warning to potential predators: "You don't want to eat me." Predators quickly learn to leave the Monarch alone. Another butterfly, the Viceroy, mimics the adult colours and pattern of the Monarch in an effort to fool predators into thinking it, too, tastes bad, even though it does not feed upon milkweed and therefore does not contain the bad-tasting compounds.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
How does a bougainvillea protect itself?
by it's thorns
How does garlic plant protect itself from its enemies?
by means of unpleasant smell
Do you capitalize Monarch Butterfly or Monarch butterfly?
monarch butterfly
How does the monarch butterfly use coloration to protect or conceal themselves?
A Monarch butterfly does not want to conceal itself. It wants all potential predators to notice it and not mistake it for any other type of butterfly. The reason for this is that Monarch apparently taste terrible due to it's diet of milkweed when a caterpillar. Once a predator eats one it never wants to eat another. So the butterflies want to warn off the predators. Viceroy butterflies have noticed this and have adopted the Monarchs coloration. They are essentially saying to the predators "Hey! I look like a Monarch Butterfly so I probably taste bad. Leave me alone and go catch something tasty!"
What are the enemies of the monarch butterfly?
The biggest threat to the monarch butterfly are wasps, bees, frogs, and especially people. Insects like to eat the eggs of Monarch Butterflies.
How do monarch butterflies protect themselfs?
the monarch butterfly protects itself by its bright warning coloration. When a bird eats aMonarch butterfly, he will get sick and vomit it up. The next time, the bird will not eat a Monarch. The Viceroy butterfly also has similar coloration, but it does not produce the same somewhat poisonous chemicals that the Monarch does
How does the megalodon protect itself?
how do young protect itself
how does it protect it?
how does 'what' protect itself.
How does a Blackbird protect itself from danger?
A blackbrid can protect itself from danger by
How does the opossums protect itself?
The opossum protect itself by playing dead.
How do wild pigs protect itself?
Pig protect itself by hiding
How does mahi mahi protect itself?
how dose the milkfish protect itself
How does it protect itsself?
how does 'what' protect itself.
How does Meller's chameleon protect itself?
THe Meller's Chameleon protect itself by blending in.
How does it protect itself from others?
Huh? You didn't say 'what' does it do to protect itself from others.
How does the Giant Otter protect itself?
it protect itself by using it's sharp claws
How does a sponge protect itself?
A sea sponge protect itself by releasing toxic gases.
