Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus. Insect. Photograph taken by the author. Copyright © 2025 Now I Wonder. All rights reserved.

Complete Guide To The Monarch Butterfly

ByChristine Species Guides

Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly Images

How To Identify Monarch Butterflies

  • Monarch Butterflies are large butterflies with wingspans up to 5 inches (12.7 cm) and dark eyes.
  • Their bodies are black with white polka dots.
  • Above:
    • Bright cinnamon orange with wide black wing veins.
    • Black wing borders with 2 rows of tiny white spots.
  • Below:
    • Same as above but paler overall.
  • Monarch Butterflies are famous for their multi-thousand kilometer migration and love of milkweed plants.
  • Monarch Butterflies live throughout North Carolina.
    • Look for them in sunny locations such as along roadsides, in old fields, utility cuts, and home gardens.

Monarch Butterfly Classification

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Lepidoptera

Family

Nymphalidae (Brush-foot Butterflies)

Genus

Danaus

Species

D. plexippus

Binomial Name

Danaus plexippus

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Christine
Christine is the creator and author of NowIWonder.com, a website dedicated to the animals and plants that share our world, and the science that helps us understand them. Inspired by lifelong exploration and learning, Christine loves to share her knowledge with others who want to connect with wild faces and wild spaces.
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