Butterflies
The beauties of the insect world, butterflies also play an important role in pollinating flowers. And they’re in danger: Monarch populations alone have decreased by 90 percent. In addition to monarchs, there are red admirals, the viceroy, swallowtails, and many more. Along with other animals and insects, all butterflies are important for flowers, fruits and vegetables.
Red Admiral
Adult Red Admiral – Photo Credit: Shady Oak Butterfly Farm
The Red Admiral butterfly has a distribution that covers North and South America, Europe, and Asia. The diverse range of this butterfly corresponds to the larval host plants used by this species’ caterpillar. Red Admirals use all members of the nettles family as their host plants, which includes more than 50 different plant genera – far broader than other common butterflies like Monarchs that use only milkweeds. Nettles are distributed globally and are a successful plant group that commonly has a weedy habit. Finding these plants in urban or disturbed landscapes is not uncommon and they are perhaps why the Red Admiral is the most popular butterfly sighted in urban landscapes. The caterpillars eat nettles, and adult males will chase off other males to protect their territory. In certain areas you could see thousands.
Monarch
Monarch female near Decorah – Photo credit: Larry Reis
The monarch butterfly is among the most recognized, studied, and loved of all of North America’s insects. Children study monarchs in school. Researchers and citizen scientists track their migration and breeding. Conservationists and government agencies are concerned about threats to breeding, migration, and wintering habitats.
The annual migration cycle of the monarch butterfly has been described as the most spectacular in the insect world, an “endangered natural phenomenon”. This species and its migration are dependent upon conservation of habitats in all three North American countries: Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Awareness of the monarch butterfly’s life cycle and habitat requirements is essential for their survival and an important step in the conservation of this animal. Many government agencies, organizations, and individuals across North America are working on projects to conserve monarch habitats and their migration.
Monarchs in particular love milkweed. If you see them in the summer, you can tag them with small stickers. For more information, check monarchwatch.org.
Viceroy
Image Credit: Daniel Herms, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org
The viceroy butterfly color and pattern mimics the monarch butterfly’s pattern, except for a black horizontal stripe that crosses the bottom of its back wings, protecting itself from predators. It is a brush-footed butterfly. Brush-footed butterflies have tiny, hairy forelegs that look more like brushes than feet and are not used for walking. It is dark orange with black veins. A row of white spots edge its wings. The viceroy caterpillar is white and olive-brown.