Classification Helper

Kingdom: Animalia
-Phylum: Arthropoda
-Class: Insecta

Word Helper

Psychophily: pollination by butterflies.

Psychophilous: plants that are pollinated by butterflies.

Phalaenophily: pollination by moths.

Phalaenophilous: plants that are pollinated by moths.

Sphingophily: pollination by hawkmoths and nocturnal lepidoptera.

Sphingophilous: plants that are pollinated by hawkmoths and nocturnal lepidoptera.

Butterflies and Moths are Pollinators in Decline
A karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis). Photo courtesy of Ann B. Spengel, USFWS.
A karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides
melissa samuelis). Photo courtesy of
Ann B. Spengel, United States
Fish and Wildlife Service.

Butterflies and moths are important pollinators. However, many species of butterflies and moths have been declining, partially due to loss of migratory and nectar corridors. Over 200 species of butterflies and moths undergo some type of migration, and the loss of appropriate habitat the distance of the migration routes has led to declining populations. Attempts to reverse this trend are being made by local jurisdictions, conservation organizations, and federal agencies.

Compared to bees, butterflies and moths are often less efficient at transferring pollen between plants because frequently pollen does not stick to their bodies and they lack specialized structures for collecting pollen. Butterflies and moths probe for nectar and prefer flat clustered flowers that they can use as a landing pad.

Butterflies and moths are members of the order Lepidoptera.  Butterflies differ from moths in several aspects: butterflies fly during the day, possess clubbed antennae, are brightly colored, and lack a frenulum (a wing coupling mechanism common in moths) (Reference: What are the differences between butterflies and moths?, Australian Museum).

Please browse this section to learn more about hawk moths, butterfly and moth identification, butterfly- and moth-plant associations, and yucca moths.

Butterflies and Moths of North America Database 

Visit the Butterflies and Moths of North America database! You can find occurrence maps, species accounts, checklists, and photographs of butterflies and moths, and much more in this online searchable database hosted and maintained by the Big Sky Institute at Montana State University and the NBII Mountain Prairie Information Node.

Children's Butterfly Site

Cartoon of a child chasing a butterfly with a net.Check out the Children's Butterfly Site that is also maintained by the NBII Mountain Prairie Information Node and hosted by the Big Sky Institute at Montana State University. On this site, children can find all kinds of ' neat stuff ' to do and learn about butterflies - like coloring pages, the butterfly life cycle, a photograph gallery, books, videos, and much more!

Butterfly and Moth Conservation and Management Resources
Search 62 Results Within Butterfly and Moth Conservation and Management Resources
Showing 62 of 62
1.
ALEXANOR's Butterfly Home Page
The ALEXANOR Company for Science Implementation is a non-profit conservation organization working to save threatened butterflies and their habitats in Ukraine. The web site includes distribution maps, species lists, photographs, monitoring projects,...
2.
Animal Diversity Web: Danaus plexippus (monarch butterfly)
This site is a species account of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), including information on description, range, habitat, development, reproduction, food habits, behavior, economic importance to humans, conservation status, and references.
3.
Atala Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association
The mission of the Atala Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA)is to educate the public about butterflies through butterfly gardening and conservation in Palm Beach and Martin Counties. There are links to a variety of butterfly...
4.
Broward Chapter of North American Butterfly Association
From the Web site. "The Broward Chapter of North American Butterfly Association (BCNABA) is a membership-based not-for-profit organization working to increase public enjoyment and conservation of butterflies." There are links to a variety of...
5.
Butterflies of Tennessee
This webpage is published by the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC) for the United States Geological Survey (USGS). All butterflies that have had a confirmed or unconfirmed sighting in the state of Tennessee are listed here by their...
6.
Butterfly Gardening: Creating Summer Magic in Your Garden
Quote:"The first edition, in print since 1990, has sold more than 40,000 copies. Butterfly Gardening includes close-up color photographs of butterflies and the plants that attract them, and writing by eminent authors on the subjects of butterflies,...
7.
Buzziness as usual? Questioning the Global Pollination Crisis
Abstract from the article: "Concerns have been raised that invertebrate pollinators of crops and wild plants are in decline as a result of modern agricultural practices, habitat degradation, and introduced pests and diseases. This has led to demands...
8.
Coevolution Institute, The ( COE )
Quote: "The Coevolution Institute's ( CoE ) mission is to catalyze stewardship of biodiversity. Since its inception in 1997 as a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the Coevolution Institute has established itself as an innovator in biodiversity...
9.
Control of Nonnative Invasive Plants on Your Woodlot
Botanical groups such as the New England Wild Flower Society (NEWFS) host field workshops to teach landowners how to recognize and control nonnative invasive plants, providing valuable hands-on experience. Chris Mattrick, Senior Conservation Programs...
10.
Delaware Highlands Conservancy
Home page of the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, a conservation easement organization working in the Upper Delaware River Region of New York and Pennsylvania. It's mission is "to conserve the forests, farms and waters of the Upper Delaware River...

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >

Butterfly and Moth Monitoring Resources
Showing 7 of 7
1.
Butterfly Gardening: Creating Summer Magic in Your Garden
Quote:"The first edition, in print since 1990, has sold more than 40,000 copies. Butterfly Gardening includes close-up color photographs of butterflies and the plants that attract them, and writing by eminent authors on the subjects of butterflies,...
2.
Landscaping with Native Plants of the Intermountain Region
A guide to the selection, placement, and growth of native plants, compiled by southwest Idaho gardeners with experience growing native plants. Many of the recommended plants are native to the Boise area, but all of the plants presented in the guide...
3.
Monarch Habitat Handbook: A California Landowner's Guide to Managing Monarch Butterfly Overwintering Habitat
Quote:"Produced as part of the Xerces Society?s Monarch Project, this handbook is a guide for California landowners who wish to practice wise stewardship over their Monarch butterfly overwintering habitat, preserving it for future generations to enjoy."
4.
Monarch Larva Monitoring Project
Information about "a cooperative effort to generate and share ecological knowledge. The Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) began in 1997 at the University of Minnesota. It involves citizens in collecting dta that will help to explain the...
5.
Pollinator Conservation Handbook: A Guide to Understanding, Protecting, and Providing Habitat for Native Pollinator Insects
This is a link to purchase the Pollinator Conservation Handbook. From the site "The Pollinator Conservation Handbook is the first comprehensive book on the conservation of native bees, butterflies, and other native pollinator insects and is an...
6.
United Kingdom Butterfly Monitoring Scheme
As described on the Web site: The Butterfly Monitoring Scheme consists of a network of 196 sites throughout the UK, covering 71 species. The primary aims of the scheme are: to assess and interpret changes in the abundance and status of UK butterflies;...
7.
Wild Acres
From the publication: "Because wild animals need areas of suitable habitat to find food, water and shelter, your backyard wildlife home can be a part of an important network of 'Wild Acres' used by Maryland's wildlife. Do you feed wild birds? Have...

1

One Long Migration

A monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, feeding on a thistle flower. Credit NBII.
A monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on a thistle flower. Credit Elizabeth Sellers - National Biological Information Infrastructure.

Monarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus

Description: Male and female monarchs are orange with black borders and veins. Females have thicker black veins than males, and males have a swollen pouch on both of their hind legs that resembles a black spot. Adult monarchs have a wingspan of 8.60 to 12.40 cm.

Life History: In early spring monarchs lay about 400 eggs on the underside of milkweed plants; caterpillars hatch from the eggs. The caterpillar molts five times and then enters the pupal stage. An adult butterfly finally emerges from the pupal stage. It takes about 30 days for a monarch egg to develop into an adult butterfly. North American monarchs migrate in the fall from Canada south to overwintering grounds in Mexico and southern California. For some, the journey is over 2,900 km. Monarchs remain in their overwintering areas November through March. Similar overwintering behavior has been observed in Costa Rican and Australian populations.

Habitat: Monarch butterflies prefer open country and are frost intolerant. Their habitat must include milkweed plants and dense tree cover for overwintering.

Distribution: This species is found in North America, South America, Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Mauritius, Canary Islands, western Europe.

Status: The monarch butterfly is not listed as threatened; however, the annual monarch migration is considered a "threatened phenomenon" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

Resources:

Monarch Watch (The Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas)

Migratory Pollinators Program (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Center for Sonoran Desert Studies)

Danaus plexippus: Monarch butterfly (Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology)
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