They call it the Wanderer

One of the best known butterflies in the world, the Monarch – Danaus plexippu belongs to in the family Nymphalidae that includes other impressive species such as the Camberwell Beauty, Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell. A resident of North America where each year an estimated billion migrate to Mexico. Since the 19th century it has been found in such far away locations as New Zealand and Australia.

A resident of the Azores, Canary Island, Maderia, Algarve (Portugal) and Andalucia (Spain) where it is commonly found along the coastal scrubland where its food plant Milkweed grows. A very rare migrant to the British Isles and Western Europe.) Male Monarchs have a distinctive spot called the “androconium” located in the center of each hind wing, from which pheromones are released.

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