Kebnat
INSECTS

Monarch

Danaus plexippus

Insects
NativeMigratory
Monarch, photo 1 of 5
Monarch, Caterpillar
Monarch, Pupa
8.6–12.4 cmWingspan
2–6 mmLength

Butterfly or moth in the family Nymphalidae with a wingspan of 8.6–12.4 cm. Migratory. Lives in forests and near water.

There are 5,460 observations of Monarch in Québec, mostly in Montréal, Laurentides and Outaouais, and it has been reported in every region. They peak in July and August and become rare from October to May.

Through the year

JFMAMJJASOND

Where to see it

  1. Montréal1,381
  2. Laurentides909
  3. Outaouais876
  4. Montérégie761
  5. Estrie466
  6. Capitale-Nationale265
  7. Mauricie242
  8. Lanaudière159
  9. Chaudière-Appalaches97
  10. Abitibi-Témiscamingue82
  11. Centre-du-Québec67
  12. Laval46
  13. Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean36
  14. Bas-Saint-Laurent34
  15. Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine31
  16. Nord-du-Québec4
  17. Côte-Nord4

Habitat

ForestMario Hains
Water’s edgepeupleloup

What the caterpillar eats

TOXIC
Common milkweedAsclepias syriaca
Swamp milkweedAsclepias incarnata
Butterfly milkweedAsclepias tuberosa
Poke milkweedAsclepias exaltata
TOXIC
Spreading dogbaneApocynum androsaemifolium

Similar species

ViceroyLimenitis archippus
Painted LadyVanessa cardui
Black SwallowtailPapilio polyxenes
American LadyVanessa virginiensis
Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta
Pearl CrescentPhyciodes tharos
Milkweed Tussock MothEuchaetes egle
Variegated FritillaryEuptoieta claudia
Oleander AphidAphis nerii