I found a spectacular butterfly in the garden yesterday afternoon. The absolutely stunning queen butterfly. This one a female. This butterfly can be found around the Gulf Coast, California, Arizona, Texas, as well as south of New Mexico. It’s lifespan can range from one to three months. It’s host plant is also milkweed.
Three more monarch butterflies emerged in the butterfly house this morning, two which I was able to witness. One I was able to help finish emerging.
The scientific name for the monarch butterfly is Danaus Plexippus, which means sleepy transformation in Greek.
The butterfly emerges headfirst with small and shriveled wings. As it pumps body fluid through its wings they grow in size. When it first emerges the monarch’s abdomen is large. It starts pulsating fluid, pumping it into its wings until they are no longer crinkled and become stiff, a few hours process.
I find it interesting that during the butterflies first 24 hours their sensory mechanisms become fully functional. Those include eyes, antennae odor receptors, and taste receptors, which are located at the ends of the leg.
The gulf fritillary sipping on some penta nectar.
