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| UK Status |
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| Resident |
A species which is continually Resident in the UK with stable breeding populations. |
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| Migrant |
A species which occurs as a Migrant in the UK. It may be able to breed here although they are usually unable to survive our winter months. Migrants are normally reported in the UK every year. |
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| Rare Migrant |
A species which occurs as a Rare Migrant in the UK. It may able to breed here although they are usually unable to survive our winter months. Rare Migrants may not be seen for many years. |
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| Extinct |
A species which is Extinct in the UK, usually as a result of habitat loss. |
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| Introduction |
A species which ocurs in the UK as an accidental introduction. |
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Description
The Monarch also known as The Milkweed because of its larval food plant is a large distinctive deep orange butterfly with distinctive black veins and borders to its wing. It is a species famed for its unbelievable migrations in North America and its communal over wintering sites in Mexico.
Habitat
In Britain there is no natural breeding habitat due to the absence of the larval food plant. The occasional rare migrant tends to occur in coastal areas especially in places rich in nectar sources such as gardens.
In North America, it breeds in flower habitats such as pasture, meadows and waste ground where the larval food plant occurs.
Larval Food Plants
The primary larval food plants of the Monarch are Milkweeds of the genus Asclepias. These plants do not occur naturally in Britain and are not widely cultivated in any way.
European breeding colonies use Asclepias curassavica which has become naturalised in some areas. |
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| Distribution |
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The Monarch is a rare migrant in the UK. Many of the sightings are thought to be of individuals crossing the Atlantic from central and north-east America assisted by weather patterns which carry some individuals away from their normal migration routes between Mexico Florida and the east and west coasts of North America.
A breeding population of Monarch butterflies occurs on the Azores Canary Islands, Madeira, southern Spain, and Gibraltar and it is now thought that the majority of the individuals seen in the UK are more likely to originate from these areas rather than from across the Atlantic.
Even if conditions suited the Monarch in the UK, the absence of the larval food plant means that this species cannot breed here. |
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| Where to see the Monarch |
The Monarch is a rare migrant in the UK. Many of the sightings are thought to be of individuals crossing the Atlantic from central and north-east America assisted by weather patterns which carry some individuals away from their normal migration routes between Mexico Florida and the east and west coasts of North America.
A breeding population of Monarch butterflies occurs on the Azores Canary Islands, Madeira, southern Spain, and Gibraltar and it is now thought that the majority of the individuals seen in the UK are more likely to originate from these areas rather than from across the Atlantic.
Even if conditions suited the Monarch in the UK, the absence of the larval food plant means that this species cannot breed here. |
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| Population Trends |
| species status |
the Monarch is a rare migrant species in Britain |
| population trend1 |
(1995-2004)  not applicable |
(1976-2004) not applicable |
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1Fox, R., Asher. J., Brereton. T., Roy, D & Warren, M.
(2006) The State of Butterflies in Britain & Ireland, Pices, Oxford. |
| UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Status |
| UK BAP status2 |
not applicable (link) |
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| 2 For more information about the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species status, visit www.ukbap.org.uk. |
| IUCN Category Status |
| IUCN category3 |
 not applicable4 |
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3 Fox, R., Warren, M & Brereton, T.
(2007) New Red List of British Butterflies. Butterfly Conservation, Wareham.
4 More information about IUCN categories available here. |
| Find Out More Online* |
| More information about the Monarch can be found on Peter Eeles excellent UK Butterflies web site. |
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| References |
| The information on this web site comes from a variety of freely available resources including books, academic reports and web sites alongside my own personal observations of butterflies. The species descriptions are currently in the process of being edited (spring 2009) to include new data, recent personal observations and referencing following a major update to the site.
A complete list of references mentioned in the text on this web site is available here. |
| * External Links Disclaimer |
| This web site includes links to information provided by external web sites which are not in any way under the control of www.britishbutterflies.co.uk. We cannot, therefore, be held responsible for the content of external web pages. |
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105-112mm
