Monarch+Butterfly+Period+4

Suzannah Tarkington Lizzy Wesley
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Locate your animal’s habitat (Where does it live? Does it migrate?)   They have habitats in Mexico. Monarchs have spread form their original home in the Americas to Indonesia, Hawaii, Canary Islands, Australasia, and recently established colonies in Mediterranean countries. Yes, monarch butterflies do migrate. The Eastern populations of monarch butterflies spend their winter in Florida, along the coast of Texas, and in Mexico, and return to the north in spring. They fly from Canada and the United States to the center of Mexico -- after which they begin the northward journey again. The monarchs travel between 1,200 and 2,800 miles or more between their starting and ending points. The migration moves at a pace of about almost 50 miles a day, though there are some butterflies that have flown up to 80 miles in a day. The monarch butterfly can be fo und in North America south of Hudson Bay down to South America. It is not found in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. It has been established in Hawaii and Australia. In the spring and summer, the monarch butterfly's habitat is open fields and meadows with milkweed. In winter it can be found on the coast of southern California and at high altitudes in central Mexico. Monarch reproduction is a complicated process! It is tied in to the migratory patterns of the monarch. In the monarch's summer territory, which includes most of North America, monarchs will mate up to seven times. Each butterfly lives from two to six weeks. The male courts the female in the air, tackles her and breeds with her on the ground. As the monarchs migrate to their summer territory, the female lays her eggs on milkweed plants. The eggs take 3-15 days to hatch into larvae. The larvae feed on the milkweed for about two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, they attach themselves to a twig, shed their outer skin and change into a chrysalis. This happens in just a few hours! In two weeks a full-grown monarch emerges! Most monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains overwinter in the Sierra Madres in central Mexico where they live in fir forests at high altitudes. Far western populations of monarchs winter along the coast of southern California where they live in groves of pine, cypress, and eucalyptus trees. Include all subspecies or varieties of your animal <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0)"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> 1. The common Monarch Butterfly. //Danaus plexippus// 2. The African Monarch. <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0)">//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 51)"><span style="color: rgb(242, 44, 51); font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif">Danaus chrysippus //3. A similar species is the Striated Queen. //Danaus gilippus strigosus// 4. The Jamaican Monarch. //Danaus cleophile// <span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)">Identify at least 10 characteristics that will give an in-depth, accurate description of your animal <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0)"> 1. Monarchs posses two pairs of brilliant orange-reddish wings, featuring black veins and white spots along the edges. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> 2. Their wingspan is about four inches, and they weigh less than half an ounce. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> 3. Males, who possess distinguishing black dot (stigmata) along the veins of their wings, are slightly bigger than the females. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> 4. Some monarch’s hind wings have lighter coloring than their forewings. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> 5. Their orange and black patterns show that they are poisonous. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> 6. The caterpillar is banded with black, yellow, and cream. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> 7. They eat milkweeds and related plants. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> 8. The Monarch butterflies that migrate southward in the autumn are guided by the sun's orbit as they travel through North America. Even on cloudy days they stay on track thanks to an internal biological compass that functions according to the movement of the sun. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">9. At the end of October and the beginning of November, after traveling two months, the butterflies settle into hibernation colonies in the mountains of central Mexico, where the States of Mexico and Michoacan meet. There they will spend the winter hibernating. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> 10. In both the caterpillar or butterfly stage the monarch needs no camouflage because it takes in toxins from the milkweed and is poisonous to predators. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> 11. Adult Monarchs possess two pair of brilliant orange-reddish wings, featuring black veins and white spots along the edges. Their wingspan is about four inches, and they weigh less than half an ounce. Males, who possess distinguishing black dot (stigmata) along the veins of their wings, are slightly bigger than the females. <span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Verdana">male has small pouches on their hind legs where they store pheromones. Monarch butterfly larva feed on milkweed. Adults gather nectar from flowers. The monarch is not a very pleasant meal for predators. Eating milkweed causes the monarch to store alkaloid. This makes it taste horrible to predators!
 * __1. Where does your animal live, and what are its characteristics?__**
 * Domain:** //Eukaryota//
 * Kingdom:** //Animalia//
 * Phylum:** //Arthropoda//
 * Class:** //Insecta//
 * Order:** //Lepidoptera//
 * Family:** //Danaidae//
 * Genus:** //Danaus//
 * Species:** //plexipus//

> > **__2. Where and why is your animal endangered?__** > <span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)">Locate where it is endangered (might not be endangered in all its habitats) > <span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)"> There are two distinct Monarch populations in North America. The eastern population breeds east of the Rockies and overwinters in Mexico and at a few locations in the southernmost states, while the western population breeds west of the Rockies and overwinters along the California coast. Although the Monarch is not an endangered species, the annual migration is considered a threatened phenomenon by IUCN. Since there are very few overwintering sites where the adults aggregate in great numbers, their populations become vulnerable. These sites are threatened by human activities (what else…) in Mexico and California. Logging, development, and agriculture are the most serious threats. In order to save these sites, the Monarch Project was created in 1984; working together with government officials, land trusts, parks, public agencies, scientists, developers, and conservationists, the Project achieved significant progress but the high property values in California continue to threaten overwintering sites. In Mexico, the locals desperately depend on income sources from logging and agriculture. The Mexican conservation organization, Monarca, works closely with governmental agencies and local people to establish land protection and enhance alternative economic development in the region. Although the breeding grounds of the Monarch in the northern regions are not seriously threatened, development, pollution, and the use of pesticides might have a significant negative effect on them on the long run. Recently, attention turned to the toxic effects of the pollen of genetically modified corn: the data collected so far suggests that the larvae can be killed or retarded in growth if fed on milkweed leaves dusted with Bt corn pollen. The Monarch butterfly is an important species in insect conservation (should we make this distinction with any species) because it is a “charismatic” species; public awareness about habitat destruction, pollution, or other environmental issues can be easily increased if the Monarch is threatened.

<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0)"> <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0)"> I <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 0)"> n Pacific Grove, Santa Cruz and a dozen other coastal areas, where there are ancestral groves for their wintering, the Monarchs build up their strength for the big event. In March when milkweed appears, the Monarchs begin a marvelous ritual, the crowing achievement of their great journey.

<span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)">

<span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)">Identify the factors, environmental and/or anthropogenic (caused by man) that cause it to be endangered <span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)"> <span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)"> <span style="color: rgb(255, 23, 0)">Deforestation has long devastated Monarch wintering grounds in Mexico. It blamed cold weather and intensive farming -- including genetically modified crops -- in areas of the United States and Canada where the butterflies spend the summer and reproduce. In past years, Mexico acknowledged the butterflies were affected by illegal logging of the central Mexico fir forests that make up the winter nesting grounds. <span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)">Provide statistics and other facts related to its endangerment <span style="color: rgb(219, 30, 10)"><span style="color: rgb(242, 38, 57)"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"> <span style="color: rgb(255, 3, 0)">75 percent fewer Monarch butterflies have appeared in 2004 compared to previous years. <span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)">Locate at least two zoos and/or conservation centers where the animal is held. http://www.mbsf.org/newsletter_2005.pdf <span style="color: rgb(241, 14, 41)"><span style="color: rgb(251, 62, 55)">    WWF and Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature Biosphere: Mexico
 * __3. Where is your animal in captivity and/or conserved?__**

The Butterfly House is located in Whitehouse, Ohio. The Butterfly House contains over 1,000 butterflies with many different species from North & South America and Asia. The facility was built with the idea of developing beautiful gardens in a controlled environment to exhibit butterflies to the general public. An opportunity to learn about the life cycle of the butterfly and how to promote a healthy environment for these special insects will be provided as well. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> The   <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">  average life span of the butterfly is 2 to 3 weeks, so each week they will introduce new species. Throughout the season they will have over 100 different species, so multiple visits can be rewarding. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> The Victoria Butterfly Gardens are located in Victoria, British Columbia, in Canada. The Victoria Butterfly Gardens are one of Victoria's most popular attractions. The Gardens are designed and built specifically for the hosting and breeding of tropical butterflies and moths from all over the world. Hundreds of butterflies representing about thirty-five species are in our Gardens at any one time.

The Roatan Tropical Butterfly Garden is located in West End Village, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras, Central America. You will see and learn about some of Honduras' most colorful butterflies including varieties such as common Owl, Zebra, Helicopter, Firecracker, Julia's, Sunset Longwing, Monarch, and Queen butterflies. They offer tours and much more than just butterflies.

Butterfly Creek is located in New Zealand, one minute from the Auckland International Airport. Butterfly Creek`s,     <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 51)"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">  <span style="color: rgb(251, 62, 55)"> Tropical Butterfly House is Australasia`s premier butterfly house, hosting over 700 free-flying, brilliantly colourful exotic butterflies from Asia and South America. The Butterfly House is temperature controlled to 28 degrees C with 70 - 80% humidity, streams, misting and waterfalls so as to replicate the conditions of the butterflies usual environment.

The Magic of Life Butterfly House is located in Aberystwyth, Wales in England. As visitors walk through, they can see the butterflies feeding, courting, and laying eggs. Over the season they display over 80 species and keep about 30 at any one time.

The Michoacan Reforestation Fund and La Cruz Habitat Protection Project work to protect monarch butterfly habitat and improve the well-being of Mexican communities through reforestation. We provide high quality pine and oyamel fir trees to highland communities in the Mexican states of Michoacan and Mexico <span style="font-size: 12.5pt; color: rgb(103, 103, 159); text-decoration: none"><span style="color: rgb(255, 12, 0)">[|Seneca Park Zoo]  <span style="color: rgb(255, 12, 0)"> in New York is raising awareness about butterflies in a nine county region. In 2002, the zoo launched a Butterfly Beltway program to encourage butterfly gardens that would support the migrating monarch. Over the past three years, the zoo has established butterfly gardens at 20 retirement communities and assisted living centers with the help of corporate sponsorships or grants. Zoo staff returns to the gardens each year to maintain them. Zoo staff also does a tagged monarch butterfly release at each facility. This year the zoo will release 200 to 300 tagged monarchs at the different facilities. The zoo is also promoting butterfly gardening on zoo grounds. Opening soon is the Chase-Pitkin Butterfly Experience, a walk-through exhibit with approximately eight native butterfly species. The exhibit will include a butterfly garden complete with host and nectar plants and two interactive computer touch screens with information on species-specific host and nectar plants, a chrysalis chamber, and caterpillar covered plant. The zoo will release approximately 300 additional tagged monarchs from zoo grounds as part of their education efforts. ** National Conservation Training Center ** Publications Unit Mail Stop #15 Route 1, Box 166 Shepardstown, WV 25443 <span style="color: rgb(255, 3, 0)">These spring and summer born Monarch butterflies live approx five (5) weeks and can fly at 10 to 30 mph at an estimated 80 to 100 miles per day. Arriving five generations later, the last born Monarchs live six months and will fly the entire return migration of over 2,000 miles south to California's coast. Their migratory phenomenon cannot be re-created. Scientists estimate that their numbers are now below one million ( see Beauties Are Back/ Decline article on the home page ). Some of the largest major regular over-wintering habitats for Western Migratory Monarch butterfly in the United States are Ellwood, Natural Bridges State Preserve and Pismo Beach State Park, which offer the returning Monarch butterflies the ideal conditions for reproducing. The American Western Monarch butterflies Major over-wintering habitats are each as important an environmental treasure to visit as the last stands of our Redwood Forest. Help everyone to become aware of the Western Monarch butterflies on California’s coast.

__**4. What is being done to restore your animal’s populations? Where is it being done?**__

<span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)">Locate where research is done on your animal and where efforts are underway to conserve its population (Note: It may be that this is done at the same location(s) you identified in #3) [|**http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2005/0810-saving_butterflies.htm**] Waystations for monarch butterflies are sprouting up around the country. With milkweed plants and flowers such as zinnias that produce lots of nectar, these gardens will provide oases for the butterflies to lay eggs and feed during their migration. Monarchs migrate from Mexico throughout the U.S. every year from spring to autumn, but their numbers have been shrinking to record lows due to loss of habitat. <span style="color: rgb(255, 3, 0)"><span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"> At the WWF biosphere they conserve high altitude forests where monarchs hibernate and migrate to. WWF has worked to conserve the monarch butterflies' hibernation sites for more than a decade and in the past two years has expanded the WWF Monarch Butterfly Program considerably to tackle threats through an integrated approach. A decisive step in the protection of the wintering forests was the coordination of international experts on monarch butterfly biology and ecology in 1998-2000 to improve the design of the protected area: the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. At the same time, the Monarch Butterfly Conservation Fund was created to provide economic incentives to the owners of the core zone.

<span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)">Identify the experts, leaders, and/or groups guiding the conservation <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">World Wildlife Fund, in collaboration with the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature has designed an innovative conservation strategy to protect and restore the Monarch butterflies wintering habitat in Mexico. The plan will help preserve the high-altitude pine and fir forest that serves as home to one of the most remarkable natural phenomena on the planet. A well-preserved forest ecosystem in Mexico is critical for the survival of the Monarch butterfly wintering, which has been recognized as an endangered biological phenomenon, and the first priority in world butterfly conservation.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">One man involved with the WWF biosphere is Frans Lanting. Also voulenteers in Mexico and the U.S.

The owners of the Roatan Tropical Butterfly Garden are Antonio and Janet Matias. <span style="font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Verdana"> Butterfly School is a service of the Education Department of The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House & Education Center in St. Louis, Missouri. <span style="font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Verdana">Contact us at:  15193 Olive Boulevard  Chesterfield, MO 63017

<span style="color: rgb(255, 138, 0)">Outline any research and efforts to conserve the population
 * photos**


 * <span class="photo_container pc_m">[[image:http://farm1.static.flickr.com/104/274744768_44b2a0b6cd_m.jpg width="240" height="180" caption="Female monarch butterfly on a milkweed plant." link="http://www.flickr.com/photos/windsurfgirl/274744768/"]] || === === ||




 * Videos

Monarch Butterfly emerges form it's chrysalist

Thing is a great site for a video about Monarch Waystations http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2005/0810-saving_butterflies.htm

Bibliography (All Resources Used)** http://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/buttfly.htm [|http://worldwildlife.org/monarchs/migration.cfm</span]> http://worldwildlife.org/monarchs/results.cfm http://worldwildlife.org/monarchs/projects.cfm http://worldwildlife.org/monarchs/photos.cfm http://www.livescience.com/animals/ap_050217_monarch.html http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/monarch.htm#1 http://www.butterflyschool.org/ [|http://www.butterflyschool.org/</span]> http://www.worldwildlife.org/monarchs/migration.cfm http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Monarch+Butterfly&l=3 [|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l67SLCOYoHA </span]> [|http://ltc.cit.cornell.edu/courses/icb344/abstracts/monarch.htm  </span]> http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2005/0810-saving_butterflies.htm http://www.butterflypalace.org/page2.htm http://www.pelicannetwork.net/monarch.butterfly.pacific..htm http://www.worldwildlife.org/monarchs/projects.cfm [|http://michoacanmonarchs.org/  </span]> [|http://www.butterfly-house.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=54  </span]> http://butterflygardens.com/ [|http://www.roatanbutterfly.com/index.html  </span]> [|http://www.butterflycreek.co.nz/butterflyhouse.html  </span]> [|http://www.magicoflife.org/Index.html  </span]> [|http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/lepidopt/danaidae/monarchm.htm  </span]> http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/D/Danaus_plexipus.asp [|http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/D/Danaus_cleophile.asp  </span]>