Rare Monarch Caterpillar Danaus plexippus

Observation: This is the first Monarch butterfly (caterpillar) we have seen in 5 years in this area of the US.

LEO says: Monarchs Danaus plexippus face a variety of threats that can impact populations and distribution. Three primary threats include climate change, pesticides and habitat loss.

Resources

• For information about monarchs see article at National Wildlife Federation

• For information about protection of monarchs and monitoring opportunities see MonarchWatch.org

• For a local perspective, see Where are the Monarch Butterflies? by Dan Stamm (2013-10-07).