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Monarch butterflies are one of those great pollinators you want hovering and perching around your garden, probably in a Kaleidoscope (in a group).
They collect and transfer pollen to your fruits plants, vegetables, and flowers, which helps them produce new and healthy seeds. Aside from that, they play a vital role in increasing biodiversity.
The sad part is butterflies don’t generally live long. So you might be worried about how long do monarch butterflies live, and how long can they continue to bless your garden.
However, most monarchs thrive for about two to six weeks. But that is not the longest a Monarch could live.
We will discuss more on the Life Cycle, fun facts, flowers, monarch love, and other aspects.
There is so much you don’t know about this butterfly. Monarchs are more than meets the eye.
How Long Do Monarch Butterflies Live?
While most monarchs can only enjoy the earth’s surface for six weeks, some are blessed with eight months.
And these monarchs are the generation born at the finale of the summer.
They are one of those species you’d love to watch. Their two to four inches of bright orange wings with interlaced black veins marked with white spots make them the center of attention.
Although this coloring is a clear warning sign to predators of a potentially poisonous species. And YES, they are poisonous in a way. Much of that is the toxic chemical produced by their signature food —milkweed plants.
However, the caterpillar is left vulnerable to invertebrates like ants and wasps.
Where Do Monarch Butterflies Live?
Butterflies’ habitats are pretty much the same. They hail from tropical forests, grasslands, deserts, to tundra.
But Monarch butterflies mainly live in treeless regions like meadows, along the roadside, and prairies. And they are more predominant across North America.
Mind you, they can migrate as wide as 2,800 miles to find another home with more suitable climate conditions.
They are almost anywhere on the planet. That is because they exist on every continent except Antarctica.
What Do Monarch Butterflies Eat?
Monarch’s favorite meal is Milkweed; they can consume and drink nectar from many of its species.
They also love their Cynanchum laeve, or sand vine nectar juices. However, they are not restricted to these plants —at least not the adult monarchs.
Adult monarchs can enjoy a wide variety of nectar-bearing flowers. Meanwhile, the larvae stick to just milkweeds, as they wouldn’t survive without them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Longest Living Butterfly?
Generally, butterflies don’t live long; most insects don’t. On average, nine months.
But the most extended living butterfly defies the odds. The brimstone butterfly can live more than a year comfortably —up to 13 months.
These butterflies are reasonably large and are the elders of all other species. Their wings are distinctively leaf-shaped, pale yellowish or greyish.
They wine and dine in scrubby woodland and grassland. And you often see them in parades along hedgerows and roadside verges.
What Butterfly Has The Shortest Lifespan?
We are used to hearing butterflies living up to 6 to 8 weeks, and now up to 13 months. But do you know the butterfly species with the shortest life span can survive only a few days?
YES! And that is Copper and Small blues Butterflies.
Do Butterflies Sleep At Night?
It is appropriate to think butterflies are active during the day, and find a hiding spot to crash at night.
But these inserts don’t sleep –according to science. They only rest. Their quiescent rest is enough to get them on throughout the day without fluttering away.
Moreover, they can rest during the day too, especially when it is rainy or cold. And they do so with their eyes open —hidden underneath the foliage, hanging upside down like weirdos.
The fun part is they do this in groups, a behavior called ‘roosting.’
This biological behavior helps protect them from predators and conserve energy for long-distance migrations.
Research had that monarchs overwinter in masses in trunks and branches of trees. Sometimes the branches get SO heavy with the wintering monarch that it breaks off.
Which Country Has A Lot Of Butterflies?
Many countries house some of the most spectacular species of butterflies due to their rich and vast landscape and vegetation.
And if you were to list some of them, Italy would take the top spot. They have more prime butterfly areas that are sanctuaries to over 260 resident species —than most European countries.
However, Italy is not the count with the butterfly.
Is it Turkey, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Slovenia, or Greece?
No! You guessed it wrong. It is not even Spain.
That title goes to Colombia.
Colombia is hard to beat when it comes to watching butterflies.
The country has a staggering geographical diversity with habitats that support a whopping 3,642 butterfly species.
It is the world’s richest butterfly faunas —more like a butterfly paradise.
Conclusion
Now you know monarchs can live long enough to see your fruits and veggies do well, how do you invite them?
It is simple! Create a pollinator garden with fewer trees, including favorite monarch plants (including host plants), so they can lay eggs and feed well.
You also have to set up drinking areas —like a mini pond. And then be patient.
Your garden will invite Monarchs and other viral pollinators like moths, birds, and bees.
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