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Te pūrerehua monarch

Monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus)
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Monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus]. Image: fam-esquivel / CC-BY-NC

Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus. Image: fam-esquivel / CC-BY-NC

Pūtoi
Order
Lepidoptera
Whānau
Family
Nymphalidae
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Te Rahi

  • He pūrerehua rahi, 100 mm pea te whānui mai i te pito o tētahi parirau ki tētahi.

Size range

  • Large butterfly, wingspan up to 100 mm

Te Tītaringa

  • I pūtakea mai i te Takutai a Kiwa o Amerika ki te Raki.

Distribution

  • Originally from the Pacific Coast of North America

Te Huringa Ora

  • Kai ai ngā anuhe i ngā tipu o te whānau Asclepiadaceae; i Aotearoa nei, ko te tipu Swan tērā ka kainga nuitia e ia.
  • Heoi, ko ētahi atu o ana kai, ko te Tweedia me te Araujia.
  • Kai ai ngā pakeke i ngā momo wē anahe, tae atu ki te ngongo me te wai.

Life history

  • Caterpillars feed on plants of the Asclepiadaceae family, usually Swan plant in New Zealand
  • Alternative food plants are Tweedia and Araujia
  • Adults take only liquid food, nectar and water
Monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus]. Image: fam-esquivel / CC-BY-NC Image
Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus. Image: fam-esquivel / CC-BY-NC
Monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus]. Image
Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus.
Monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus]. Image: Jon Sullivan / CC-BY Image
Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus. Image: Jon Sullivan / CC-BY
Monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus] egg. Image: dlbowls / CC-BY-NC Image
Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus egg. Image: dlbowls / CC-BY-NC
Monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus] caterpillar. Image: Joanne Redwood / CC-BY-NC Image
Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus caterpillar. Image: Joanne Redwood / CC-BY-NC
Monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus] caterpillar. Image: Ken Potter / CC-BY-NC Image
Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus caterpillar. Image: Ken Potter / CC-BY-NC
Monarch butterflies [Danaus plexippus] pupating. Image: dramirezmgv20 / CC-BY-NC Image
Monarch butterflies Danaus plexippus pupating. Image: dramirezmgv20 / CC-BY-NC
Monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus] pupa. Image: Susan Elliott / CC-BY-NC Image
Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus pupa. Image: Susan Elliott / CC-BY-NC
Monarch butterfly [Danaus plexippus] late-stage pupa. Image: Susan Elliott / CC-BY-NC Image
Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus late-stage pupa. Image: Susan Elliott / CC-BY-NC