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Monarch Butterflies
Monarch butterflies are a species of milkweed butterfly native to North America, although they can also be found in New Zealand, Australia and the Canary Islands just to name a few. These butterflies are famous for their annual fall migration to warmer climates and the massive gatherings of butterflies these migrations cause. Beautiful but toxic (to eat, that is), Monarchs are poisonous due to the toxins contained in the milkweed leaves they consume as caterpillars.
332 Questions
Why do scietists tag monarch butterflies during the annual migration?
Scientists tag monarch butterflies so that they can track their travels. This is extremely important in understanding their living habits.
What is a monarch butterflies' habitat?
Any open area, from high plains to farmland to mountain meadows. They also show up regularly in urban parks and gardens.
How does climate affect the monarch butterflies?
Climate significantly impacts monarch butterflies by influencing their migration patterns, breeding, and survival rates. Changes in temperature and precipitation can affect the availability of milkweed, their primary food source for larvae, and disrupt their reproductive cycles. Additionally, extreme weather events, such as droughts or storms, can destroy their habitats and overwintering sites, leading to population declines. As climate change continues to alter ecosystems, it poses ongoing challenges for the survival of these iconic butterflies.
When would a monarch butterflies wings not flutter?
Much like human fetuses, butterfly larvae can sometimes have genetic defects that can affect whether they successfully complete the transition to adult butterfly. They can also be affected by bacteria or viruses that can disrupt their transition within the chrysalis. I have hand raised many caterpillars to successful hatching and release, but sometimes there are a few which fail to complete the processs. While it is sad and disappointing, it is simply part of the natural process. Hope this helps.
What is the life expectancy of the solar monarch butterfly?
Since the Monarch butterfly has only a very short lifespan, (usually between 2-6 weeks), a solar monarch butterfly would truly be a wise investment. As it relies only on the sun for it's energy, its life expectancy will be for as long as the sun shines on it.
How old is the oldest monarch butterfly in the world?
The total lifespan of a monarch as an adult is two to six weeks. The total life cycle is 6-8 weeks. So, the oldest is 6 weeks old.
Because they eat smaller animals and butterflies are smaller than them.
How do you spell monarch butterfly?
The spelling is "monarch butterfly" (plural "monarch butterflies").
What does a monarch butterfly eat?
plants grass and sometimes humans! just joking! it eats milkweed A LOT and liquids like water too.
Are monarch butterflies warm or cold blooded?
Monarch butterflies are cold blooded just like all insects. Monarch butterflies rest in the sun and shiver their wings to warm up when they are cold.
What part of the world does monarch butterfly live?
Monarch butterflies adapt to the tropical rain forest through natural instinct. The butterflies have a predetermined genetic makeup that allows them to adapt.
Do monarch butterflies live in Kansas?
No but they do sometimes migrate through Washington as a kid they passed through yearly (in 35) . For the past decade or so I haven't seen them either its where I lived or they didn't pass through this way anymore.in the Last two week I have seen 3 in bellevue
What is a baby butterfly called?
There is no such thing as a baby butterfly, they are born as adults. here is the way it works. A Butterfly lays eggs, these eggs hatch into caterpillar's, the caterpillars seal themselves into pupa or chrysalis inside of which they grow into an adult butterfly, when the time is right an adult butterfly breaks out of the pupa/chrysalis a lot like a chick coming from an egg and you have an adult butterfly ready to mate with other butterfly's that lay eggs once again. The closest thing to a baby butterfly will be the Caterpillar.
Is the relationship between monarch butterfiles and milkweed mutualistic or commensalistic?
The relationship between monarch caterpillars and milkweed is mutualistic. The monarch caterpillar eats the milkweed.
What role does the monarch butterflies play in its niche?
One of the important roles the Monarch plays is pollinating on its long migration. It is the only butterfly to migrate that distance.
How long must a common housefly fly without resting in order for it to die of exhaustion?
Studies show that the housefly uses a compound called treahlose to give it the energy for flight.
The study in the link shows that a housefly allowed to fly for 4.5 hours, when fed treahlose was able to fly again with being forced to, so it appears to depend on its access to this energy source.
It also states that flies who did not have access to treahlose were unable to fly after flight exhaustion.
I've often wondered how long I'd need to chase a fly around a room before it dropped dead. If it takes 4.5 hours, I don' think I'll bother. It'd probably just land and walk around indefinately... until I squashed it.
The male housefly, Musca domestica, utilizes trehalose during flight. However, the rate of utilization of treahlose is most rapid during the first few minutes of continuous flight (i.e. during the first 5 min of flight, the rate of utilization of trehalose is 187 μg/thorax per hr; this results in a thoracic trehalose level of one-third of that of the unflown fly, after 5 min of flight). However, as the period of flight is extended, the apparent rate decreases very rapidly, so that the thoracic trehalose level actually continues to rise with increasing duration of flight period. It is concluded that, following initial rapid utilization of trehalose, a secondary metabolic pool becomes implicated, so as to restore (and maintain) the thoracic trehalose levels at as high as 50 per cent of that of unflown flies, for thoraces of flies which have been permitted to fly for as long as 4·5 hr. Flight-exhausted flies, when fed on a solution of glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, and trehalose, resumed flight, without external stimulation, but feeding galactose, mannose, and cellobiose failed to do so. However, injection of solutions of glucose, fructose, sucrose, and trehalose did not initiate flight in such flight-exhausted flies. These data indicate that a complex, metabolic route is normally involved in the energizing of flight.
