1. Room 211’s new class pet!
Welcome little caterpillar!

2. Monarch Butterfly Scientific genus and species: Danaus plexippus
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta (insects) 
Order: Lepidoptera (butterflies) 
Family: Danaidae (Milkweed butterfly family) 
Genus: Danaus 
Species: plexippus

3. Complete Metamorphosis
Monarch Butterflies undergo complete metamorphosis and have 4 stages of life
Eggs
Larva = caterpillars
Pupa = chrysalis
Adult = imago

4. Eggs are laid on the underside of a milkweed plant
Very small, about the size of a period on the computer

5. The caterpillar is quite tiny when it comes out of the egg…
The caterpillar will be about 1 cm long when it leaves the egg

6. Larvae are milkweed eating machines!
This is what our caterpillar looks like now…

7. Caterpillar = larva anatomy

8. The larva will change into a Pupa next…

9. A CHRYSALIS IS FORMED:
The pupa is called a chrysalis rather than a cocoon.
There is no silk layer inside for protection like in a typical cocoon (like moths make).
Depending on temperature, the pupa will be in the chrysalis for 8-12 days.

10. The outside of the chrysalis is an exoskeleton, or skin, of the pupa.
When it is time for the larva (caterpillar) to become a chrysalis, the caterpillar spins a silk button from which it hangs
The larva (caterpillar) forms its body into a J-shape and the skin splits and falls away.
Underneath the old skin is the jade green chrysalis

11. Diagram of the Chrysalis

12. This is a female inside. How do you know
This is a female inside. How do you know??? See the small vertical line just below the last two black dots near the top of the chrysalis? That’s a female’s markings.

13. Metamorphosis in action!
The chrysalis becomes more transparent...

14. Moving out...
The front of the chrysalis splits open and a butterfly emerges = adult = imago
The wings are folded when the butterfly first comes out. The process of emerging is called ECLOSION
The wings have veins that fluid is pumped through which inflate the folded wings to the proper shape/size
Blood was stored in the abdomen while the butterfly was still in the chrysalis

15. The butterfly must wait until the wings are dry before flying
If the butterfly cannot hang upside down while the wings dry, the wings will not form properly and the butterfly will NOT be able to fly
The Monarch must expel any extra fluid inside its body and rest a while after eclosion – process of emerging from the chrysalis (now clear not jade)

16. Free at last!!!

17. Male or Female?

18. The female does not have those spots
The male is above. See the 2 black dots? Those are specialized scales indicating it is a male
The female does not have those spots
The male has two black spots and thinner wing markings as compared to the female.
In the picture, the male is above and the female is below.

19. Female without spots

20. Male – see his spots?

21. Spots on Male
Spots release PHEROMONES – chemicals that are released by one organism to try to get another organism to respond in some way
Monarch Males release a special scent pheromone to attract females to mate.

22. More Male Facts Males are larger than females
Wings appear to be narrower but larger than females
Have more narrow lines on the wings than females

23. Female Facts Females are smaller than males
Do not have spots on the wings
Lay between 100 and 1000 eggs during lifetime (usually )
Lay only one egg on each milkweed leaf (which hatches in about 4 days)
Have thicker lines on the wings than males but the wings appear wider but yet are still smaller than males

24. Monarchs Taste Bad!
Both the larvae (caterpillars) and the butterflies (adults) retain poisonous glycosides from their larval host plant
Monarch larvae (caterpillars) eat only milkweed so they become distasteful to potential predators
Monarchs are considered milkweed butterflies (like Queen and Soldier) because they only eat milkweeds (Asclepias) as larvae.

25. Why eating Milkweeds is good!
This highly effective defense strategy shields Monarchs against almost all predators that soon learn to avoid these species after attempting to eat them.

26. Eating habits The eggs are only laid on milkweed
Larva only eat milkweed
Adults – butterflies – will eat nectar from many other different flowering plants
Remember that milkweed causes Monarchs to be poisonous to predators

27. Milkweed – it’s all they eat as a larva (caterpillar)
It’s nourishing and it allows the milkweed butterflies to taste bad to predators. Great protection!

28. Monarch or Viceroy?
A Viceroy will look very similar to a Monarch so that predators will avoid it.
The difference is that a Viceroy has an extra line across it’s lower wing area

29. Migration
During the summer breeding season, monarchs live from 2-5 weeks during which they mate and lay the eggs that become the next generation.
The last generation of the year does not become reproductive and is said to be in “reproductive diapause”.
These butterflies are the ones that migrate to Mexico where they overwinter.

30. These butterflies become reproductive in February and March as they move north, laying eggs on milkweeds as they progress northward into the United States.
Some of these butterflies can live as long as 9 months!
The migratory generation has an enormous task ahead of them. Weighing less than a gram, these unique butterflies will fly between 2,000 to 3,000 miles to an overwintering location in Mexico.

31. Monarchs have up to four generations each summer, each one traveling a little further north than the last. The last generation of the year migrates south (usually to Mexico).

32. The longest flight known for a tagged adult is some 2900 km (some 1800 mi) from Ontario to Mexico.
Migratory groups congregate at the same places each winter, such as Pacific Grove, California, or the mountains in central Mexico, where the trees may be completely covered with monarchs.

33. Final Notes:
Monarchs can lose their skins up to 5 times before making a chrysalis
It is important to clean the container your caterpillar is eating from for sanitary reasons (bacteria, etc.)
The excrement from a caterpillar is called FRASS

34. Another diagram:

35. The end!
Do you have any questions?