Flutter Info
Over the past few decades, the number of Monarch Butterflies has declined dramatically. Why the change? The answer is simple: loss of milkweed habitat.
Endangered Monarchs
A number of factors, such as destruction of milkweed habitat for construction, use of pesticides and illegal deforestation have significantly contributed to less and less Monarch Butterflies. Monarchs migrate 3000 miles each year. They start their journey in Mexico and fly as far north as Canada! Monarchs need milkweed to lay their eggs and their caterpillars only eat milkweed as they grow towards spinning into a chrysalis to become a beautiful butterfly. Without milkweed, the process of becoming a Monarch Butterfly is interrupted, if not completely stopped.
Project Monarch Butterfly Goals for The Flutter Community
Provide milkweed seeds or plant resources for our Flutter Community.
Partner with The Flutter Community to get the message out to the world!
Get everyone to plant milkweed! Take The Pledge to Plant today!
Educate about the Monarch Butterfly’s lifecycle and importance in global ecology.
A Fascinating Lifecycle
Monarch butterflies go through four stages during one life cycle and through four generations in one year. The four stages of the Monarch Butterfly life cycle are the egg, the larvae (caterpillar), the pupa (chrysalis), and the adult butterfly. The four generations are actually four different butterflies going through these four stages during one year, until it is time to start over again!
In February and March, the final generation of hibernating Monarch Butterflies come out of hibernation to find a mate. They then migrate north and east in order to find a place to lay their eggs. This starts Stage One and Generation One of the new year for the Monarch Butterfly.
In March and April the eggs are laid on milkweed plants. They hatch into baby caterpillars, also called the larvae. It takes about four days for the eggs to hatch. Once hatched, the caterpillar’s only mission is to eat milkweed! And they need A LOT of milkweed since they grow rapidly through five instars (changes in size)! After about two weeks, the caterpillar will be fully grown and will find a place to attach itself, so that it can start the process of metamorphosis. It will attach itself to a stem or a leaf (or any other convenient spot) using silk and transform into a chrysalis. They will attach to their selected spot and form the J position.
From the outside, the 10 days of the chrysalis phase seems to be a time when nothing is happening, but it is really a time of rapid change. Within the chrysalis the old body parts of the caterpillar are undergoing a remarkable transformation, called metamorphosis, to become the beautiful parts that make up the butterfly that will emerge. The Monarch Butterfly will emerge from the pupa, dry out, pump up it’s wings and fly away. Monarch Butterflies are part of the pollinator group of insects. They feed on flowers and enjoy it’s short life, which is about two to six weeks. This first generation Monarch Butterfly will then die after laying eggs for generation number two.
The Second Generation of Monarch Butterflies are born in May and June and the Third Generation will be born in July and August.
The Fourth Generation of Monarch Butterflies are a little bit different than the first three generations. The Fourth Generation is born in September and October and goes through exactly the same process as the first, second and third generations except for one part. The Fourth Generation of Monarch Butterflies does not die after two to six weeks. Instead, this generation of Monarch Butterflies migrates to warmer climates, like Mexico and California and will live for six to eight months until it is time to start the whole process over again.
Information source: Monarch-Butterfly.com
MONARCH BUTTERFLY RESOURCES
“If we all plant one milkweed plant in our yard or neighborhood, together we could easily help the dwindling Monarch habitat.”
— MaryJo MacKinnon, Founder of Project Monarch Butterfly
Take Action.
We need your help to make Project Monarch Butterfly successful. We are asking you to join us by planting milkweed in your yard, neighborhood or local area.
Learn more here or complete the contact form for more information.