Monarch Butterfly

Danaus plexippus

While Monarch butterflies are famous for their large, multi-generational migration groups crossing thousands of miles between North America and Mexico, native non-migratory species are spread throughout Central and South America. They feed exclusively on milkweed plants, giving them the toxicity their bright coloring boasts. Monarch species have spread globally, surviving anywhere that can provide milkweed and warm weather.

Recorded lineage

kingdomAnimaliaphylumArthropodaclassInsectaorderLepidopterafamilyNymphalidaegenusDanausspeciesDanaus plexippus

Observed

Apr 14, 2026

Location

Machu Picchu, Peru