Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Monarch Butterfly

CLASSIFICATION

Main Group: Animal

Sublevel 1: Non-chordate Invertebrate

Sublevel 2: Invertebrate with bilateral symmetry

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Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Nymphalidae

Genus: Danaus

Species: Danaus plexippus

STATUS IN NEW ENGLAND

Origin: Native (Breeding)

Invasive, Pest, or Pathogen?: No

Rarity Designations:
CT WAP (2015) - GCN (Important)
ME WAP (2015) - SGCN (Tier 3 - Moderate Priority)
NH WAP (2015) - SGCN
RI WAP (2015) - SGCN
VT WAP (2015) - SGCN (High Priority)

BIOLOGY/ECOLOGY

Feeding Type: Heterotroph

HABITAT

PHOTOS OF Danaus plexippus

ASSOCIATED SPECIES

Associated Species	Type of Associate	Reference
Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed)	Larval host plant (larval food)	See photo
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed, Butterfly Milkweed)	Larval host plant (larval food)	See photo

PHOTOS OF SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS