Monarch butterfly Facts
The monarch butterfly is a milkweed butterfly, an insect with black, orange and white wings and one of the most familiar butterflies in North America.
- Class
- Insect
- Scientific name
- Danaus plexippus
- Conservation status
- Least concern (IUCN)
About the monarch butterfly
Its wings span 8.9 to 10.2 cm (3.5 to 4.0 in). A lookalike called the viceroy shares the colors and pattern but is noticeably smaller, with one more black stripe crossing each hindwing. The monarch is a well-known pollinator, though it does a poor job of pollinating milkweeds. Depending on the region, people also call it the milkweed, common tiger, wanderer or black-veined brown.
The eastern North American population makes a famous trip. In late summer and autumn, monarchs fly south from southern Canada and the central and northern US to Mexico and Florida, covering thousands of miles, and several generations make the return north in spring. Western monarchs from beyond the Rocky Mountains often winter in southern California, and some have turned up at Mexican sites too.
Did you know?
- Scientists call the monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus, a milkweed butterfly species.
- Monarch populations also live in parts of Southeast Asia, Oceania and Europe.
- The monarch belongs to the butterfly family Nymphalidae, in the subfamily Danainae.
Questions about the monarch butterfly
Where do monarch butterflies migrate?
Eastern monarchs fly south to Florida and Mexico, and western monarchs often go to southern California.
Are monarch butterflies endangered?
The IUCN lists the monarch butterfly as Least Concern.
Sources
- Wikidata Q212398, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Monarch butterfly, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.