Claudio Contreras / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) hibernating, Mariposa Monarca Special Biosphere Reserve, central Mexico, January.

Claudio Contreras / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) hibernating, Mariposa Monarca Special Biosphere Reserve, central Mexico, January.

Floris van Breugel / Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) roosting in winter in dense groups, Southern California, USA

Stephen Dalton / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) female in flight. Did you know? Monarch buttterflies migrate up to 2500 miles from Mexico to Canada.

Inaki Relanzon / Clouds of Monarch butterflies {Danaus plexippus} flying and resting on trees while on migration, Miochacan, Mexico, January 1997

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly feeding on nectar of Goldenrod during migration, East Coast, USA

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies gathering to drink water and take up minerals, Michoacan, Mexico

Jack Dykinga / Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) covering the trunk of a coniferous tree, Sierra Chincua Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, Michoacan, Mexico, Central America

Rolf Nussbaumer / Queen butterfly {Danaus gilippus} pair mating on Golden Crownbeard flower (Verbesina encelioides) Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA

Patricio Robles Gil / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly, mass flying in wintering grounds, Monarch butterfly Biosphere Reserve, Michoacan, Mexico

Rolf Nussbaumer / Monarch butterfly just emerged from chrysalis {Danaus plexippus} Texas, USA.

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly, feeding on Scarlet Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) in the cloud forest, Costa Rica

Thomas Mangelsen / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly group perching on a female tourist, El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, Mexico

Jim Brandenburg / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly group resting on Giant Sunflower (Helianthus giganteus) during migration, Iowa

Jim Brandenburg / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly newly emerged from chrysalis, California

Jim Brandenburg / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly group resting on Thickspike Gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya) flowers, North America

Jim Brandenburg / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly emerging from cocoon, Minnesota

Jim Brandenburg / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly, Minnesota

Tim Fitzharris / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies on lupine, Michoacan, Mexico

Claudio Contreras / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) hibernating in Sacred Fir (Abies religiosa) forest, Mariposa Monarca Special Biosphere Reserve, central Mexico, January.

Claudio Contreras / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) hibernating, Mariposa Monarca Special Biosphere Reserve, central Mexico, January.

Scott Leslie / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly, Canada

LYNN M. STONE / Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) on Zinnia flower. Geneva, Illinois, USA, September.

LYNN M. STONE / Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) on zinnia flower. Geneva, Illinois, USA, September.

LYNN M. STONE / Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) on marigold flower. Endemic to North and Souoth America. September.

Konrad Wothe / Butterfly (Danaus sp) feeding on flower nectar, Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania

MYN / Paul Marcellini / Caterpillar larva of the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) Florida, USA, March. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Paul Marcellini / Caterpillar larva of the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on leaf, Florida, USA, March. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Paul Marcellini / Caterpillar larva of the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) Florida, USA, March. meetyourneighbours.net project

LYNN M. STONE / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on Joe-Pye weed (Eupatoriadelphus dubius) flowers, North Guilford, Connecticut, USA, August

LYNN M. STONE / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) flowers, Old Saybrook, Connecticut, USA, August

LYNN M. STONE / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) flowers, Old Saybrook, Connecticut, USA, August

Rolf Nussbaumer / Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus), adult feeding on Huisache Daisy (Amblyolepis setigera). Laredo, Webb County, Texas, USA, April.

Bernard Castelein / Glassy Tiger (Danaus / Parantica aglea). Assam, India, February.

David Welling / Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) feeding on a Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum). Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, April.

Florian Möllers / Male African Blue Tiger butterfly (Tirumala (Danaus) petiverana) feeding at flowering plant, Budongo Forest Reserve, Masindi, Uganda, Africa.

Marie Read / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on New England aster (Aster novae-angliae), New York, USA, October

LYNN M. STONE / Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) mating on Eastern Joe-Pye-Weed plant (Upatoriadelphus dubius), Connecticut, USA

LYNN M. STONE / Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus), showing some wear and tear on wing, feeding on nectar of Rough Blazing-Star (Liatris aspera) growing in tallgrass prairie remnant, Downers Grove, Illinois, USA

Christophe Courteau / African monarch / Plain tiger butterfly (Danaus chrysippus) resting on plant, Kalahari Desert, Botswana.

Michele Westmorland / Frangipani hornworm / hawk moth (Pseudosphinx tetrio) on flowering foliage, Tobago, Caribbean.

Neil Lucas / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) at rest with wings open on wildflower stem, Prairie, USA

Neil Lucas / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexipps) collecting nectar from flowers, Prairie, Minnesota, USA,

Neil Lucas / Monarch butterfly (Danus plexippus) at rest on a flower stem, Prairie, USA

Stephen Dalton / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in flight, controlled conditions

Stephen Dalton / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) adult emerging from pupal case, controlled conditions

John Cancalosi / European Praying Mantid (Mantis religiosa) feeding on Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) New York, USA

John Cancalosi / European Praying Mantid (Mantis religiosa) feeding on Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) New York, USA

Stephen Dalton / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in flight

Doug Wechsler / Tagging and measuring a Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) for reseach, New Jersey, Cape May, USA

Doug Wechsler / Tagging a Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) for research, New Jersey, Cape May, USA

Doug Wechsler / Monarch Butterfly caterpillar (Danas plexippus) feeding on Butterflyweed (Ascelepias tuberosa), Pennsylvania, USA

Doug Wechsler / Monarch Butterfly caterpillar (Danas plexippus) feeding on Butterflyweed (Ascelepias tuberosa), Pennsylvania, USA

Doug Wechsler / Caterpillar larva of Monarch butterfly {Danaus plexippus} on leaves of host plant Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Adirondack Park, New York, USA

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly group flying, during a warm day when the overwintering period draws to an end large numbers become active, Michoacan, Mexico

Stephen Dalton / Monarch butterfly {Danaus plexippus} flight sequence, multiflash image

Andrew Walmsley / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) on flowers, Christchurch, New Zealand, May

Claudio Contreras / Hibernating Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) El Rosario Colony, Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, Mexico, February

Claudio Contreras / Hibernating Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) on Oyamel fir trees (Abies religiosa), El Zacatal Colony, Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, Mexico, December 1996

Claudio Contreras / Hibernating Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) El Zacatal Colony, Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, Mexico, December 1996

Claudio Contreras / Colony of Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) hibernating on Oyamel fir trees (Abies religiosa) El Zacatal Colony, Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, Mexico, December 1996

Martin Gabriel / White-spotted prepona (Archaeoprepona amphimachus) feeding on banana, Ecocenter Danaus near La Fortuna, Costa Rica (captive)

Vivek Menon / Plain tiger butterfly (Danaus chrysippus) mating pair, New Delhi, India

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Plain tiger {Danaus chrysippus} butterfly on Sodom's Apple blossom {Calotropis procera}, Dhofar, Oman

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Two Plain tiger butterflies {Danaus chrysippus} on {Phagnalon viridifolium} flowers, Musandam, Oman

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Plain tiger {Danaus chrysippus} butterfly on Sodom's Apple blossom {Calotropis procera}, Dhofar, Oman

Jerry Monkman / Monarch butterfly {Danaus plexippus} on clover, Massachusetts, USA

Vincent Grafhorst / Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus) butterfly, Bekopaka, western Madagascar

Norbert Wu / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly on flower, Monterey, California

John Waters / African Monarch / Plain tiger butterfly {Danaus chrysippus} two adults resting on grass stem at sunrise, waiting for sun's warmth to provide warmth for flight, edge of Kalahari Desert, Northern Cape,...

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) butterfly newly emerged from chrysalis, drying wings, Wisconsin, USA. Sequence 9/9.

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) chrysalis with pre-emergent butterfly visible inside, Wisconsin, USA. Sequence 1/9.

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) newly emerged, on Purple cone flower {Echinacea purputea} drying wings in the sun, Wisconsin, USA

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) butterfly emerging from chrysalis, Wisconsin, USA. Sequence 3/9.

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) butterfly emerging from chrysalis, wings folded, Wisconsin, USA. Sequence 4/9.

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) butterfly emerging from chrysalis, wings unfolding, Wisconsin, USA. Sequence 6/9.

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) newly emerged, on Purple cone flower {Echinacea purputea} drying wings in the sun, Wisconsin, USA

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) butterfly emerging from chrysalis, Wisconsin, USA. Sequence 2/9.

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) butterfly emerging from chrysalis, wings unfolding, Wisconsin, USA. Sequence 7/9.

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) caterpillar on Milkweed stalk {Asclepias syriaca}, Wisconsin, USA.

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) butterfly newly emerged from chrysalis, wings almost completely unfolded, Wisconsin, USA. Sequence 8/9.

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) caterpillar feeding on Milkweed leaf {Asclepias syriaca}, Wisconsin, USA.

Thomas Lazar / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) butterfly emerging from chrysalis, wings unfolding, Wisconsin, USA. Sequence 5/9.

Thomas Marent / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) caterpillar on underside of leaf, Colombia

Thomas Marent / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies roosting in trees at night, Michoacan, Mexico

Inaki Relanzon / Clouds of Monarch butterflies {Danaus plexippus} flying and resting on trees while on migration, Miochacan, Mexico, January 1997

Jouan & Rius / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) on leaf, Costa Rica

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly wing of newly hatched animal, USA

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly caterpillar feeding on Milkweed (Asclepias sp) leaf, Cape May, New Jersey

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly overwintering areas that have been destroyed by illegal logging, Michoacan, Mexico

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly resting on flower in overwintering area, Michoacan, Mexico

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies flying during a warm day, Michoacan, Mexico

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies flying during a warm day, Michoacan, Mexico

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies flying during a warm day, Michoacan, Mexico

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies flying during a warm day, Michoacan, Mexico

Ingo Arndt / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies in overwintering colony, some of which are basking in the sun, Michoacan, Mexico