monarch butterfly

[mon-erk buht-er-flahy, mon-ahrk]

noun

1. a large, deep-orange butterfly, Danaus plexippus, having black and white markings, the larvae of which feed on the leaves of milkweed: highly valued as a pollinator, the monarch butterfly is currently not evaluated by the IUCN, but the protection of the species and its habitat is central to several conservation efforts.

Word History and Origins

Origin of monarch butterfly¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Beyond cephalopods, xanthommatin is also found in insects within the arthropod group, contributing to the brilliant orange and yellow hues of monarch butterfly wings and the bright reds seen in dragonfly bodies and fly eyes.

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Roswell residents know how to have fun, and the city hosts all kinds of annual festivals ranging from a summertime ice cream social and monarch butterfly celebration to outdoor movies.

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Also, monarch butterflies flit among the tall stands of narrow leaf milkweed, the plant their caterpillars require to survive.

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Though theoretically humans may have genetic science down that we could rescue any imperiled species, from sea otters to monarch butterflies, this has yet to be fully demonstrated.

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The Western population of the monarch butterfly has declined to a near-record low with fewer than 10,000 found living in California this winter, a foreboding sign for the future of the beloved black-and-orange insect.

Read more on Los Angeles Times