Monarch butterfly: Quick Facts

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 3, 2026

News •

Monarch butterflies get tiny trackers to help scientists follow their mysterious migration • Nov. 3, 2026, 11:17 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Danaus plexippus

Photos and Videos

A monarch butterfly with orange and black wings rests on a cluster of bright pink butterfly bush flowers.

Monarch caterpillar

Monarch butterfly

Müllerian mimicry

Illustration showing the monarch butterfly life cycle in a circle: eggs, larva (caterpillar), chrysalis, and adult butterfly, with labeled images for each stage.

Close-up side view of a single Monarch butterfly egg (Danaus plexippus) attached to the textured surface of a green milkweed leaf.

Monarch metamorphosis

Monarch butterfly chrysalis

Five stages of a monarch butterfly emerging from its chrysalis are shown in sequence on a branch, from the first split to the butterfly fully unfolded and drying its wings.

Monarch butterfly migration

Monarch Butterfly Migration Explained

Monarch butterfly perched on a plant with purple flowers.

Watch a caterpillar larva eat milkweed, form a pupa, and emerge as a monarch butterfly

Observe a monarch butterfly coming out of its chrysalis

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Topics

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