The Monarch is North America's most recognized butterfly, famous for its annual migration of up to 3,000 miles between Canadian breeding grounds and overwintering forests in Mexico. Milkweed is its sole larval host plant.
Habitat
Open fields, meadows, roadsides, and gardens with milkweed
Diet
Larvae: milkweed exclusively. Adults: nectar from a wide variety of flowers
How common
Common
Best time to see a Monarch Butterfly
The best time to see a Monarch Butterfly is June–September, when about 64% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 361,797 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Not certain it is a Monarch Butterfly? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
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5,300+species
63national parks
50states