Monarch Butterfly

http://thereadingzone.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/day-1-in-mexico/

The Monarch Butterfly, also known as the milkweed butterfly, is a beautiful creature that travels north during August, September and October.

Ever wonder how to tell a female butterfly apart from a male?  Here's how: Males have a dark spot (scent scales) on their back wing, and have small clusters at the end of  the abdomen. Females, on the other hand, have thicker veins on their wings.

Monarchs are fairly petite, fragile creatures; therefore they don't have many options for protecting themselves.  How do they do it you ask?  Here's how: Monarch  Butterflies are poisonous, or at least to other animals so if an animal eats it the animal become very sick, but does not generally die, so the next time the animal comes across a monarch it remembers those vibrant wings and stays clear. 

Vocabulary:

Milkweed Butterfly - Is what the monarch is also known as, because its larvae eat the milkweed plant.

Scent Scales - Scent scales are modified wing scales on butterflies and moths that release pheromones.  Only males have scent scales.

Vibrant - An ofter beautiful strong bright color.
Posted by Gaga Mama at 11/9/2008 12:10 PM
Categories: Animal Highlight
 
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