Today's featured picture/insects
Monarchs are especially noted for their lengthy annual migration. They make massive southward migrations from August through October. A northward migration takes place in the spring. Female Monarchs deposit eggs for the next generation during these migrations. The population east of the Rocky Mountains overwinters in Michoac#225;n, Mexico, and the western population overwinters in various sites in central coastal California, United States, notably in Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz. The length of these journeys far exceeds the lifetime of a Monarch (lives four days as egg, two weeks as caterpillar, ten days as chrysalis, and two to six weeks as a butterfly). How the species manages to return to the same overwintering spots over a gap of several generations is stilla subject of research; the flight patterns are inherited, based on a combination of circadian rhythm and the position of the sun on the sky.[1] A recent study suggests that butterflies have special ultraviolet photoreceptors that provide them with a sense of direction.[2] This is one of the few insects to manage transatlantic crossings. A few Monarchs turn up in the far southwest of Great Britain in years when the wind conditions are right. Monarchs can also be found in New Zealand during summer, but are absent the rest of the year.
On the island of Hawaii no migrations have been noted. Monarchs will live a life of six to eight weeks in a garden having their host asclepias plants and sufficient flowers for nectar. This is especially true if the flower garden happens to be surrounded by native forest that seems to be lacking in flowers.
Metamorphosis
The life cycle of a Monarch includes a change of form called complete metamorphosis. The Monarch goes through four radically different stages:
1. The eggs are laid by the females during spring and summer breeding months.
2. The eggs hatch, revealing worm-like larva, the caterpillars. The caterpillars consume their egg cases, then feed on milkweed, and sequester substances called cardenolides, related to the cardiac glycoside digitalis. During the caterpillar stage, Monarchs store energy in the form of fat and nutrients to carry them through the non-feeding pupa stage.
3. In the pupa or chrysalis stage, the caterpillar spins a silk pad on a twig, leaf, etc. and hangs from this pad by its last pair of prolegs. It hangs upside down in the shape of a 'J', and then molts, leaving itself encased in an articulated green exoskeleton. At this point, hormonal changes occur, leading to the development of a butterfly.
4. The mature butterfly emerges after about two weeks.
Monarch egg on milkweed
Monarch caterpillar
Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis
Final stage as a butterfly
Popularity
The Monarch is the state insect of Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Texas and Vermont, and the state butterfly of Minnesota and West Virginia. It was nominated in 1989 as the national insect of the United States, and is the national insect of Canada. The Monarch's name and color were also the inspiration for the name and home strip of the Michoac#225;n-based CA Monarcas Morelia professional football team.
Many people like to attract Monarchs by making a butterfly garden, and other people like to raise them for pleasure or for educational purposes.
Ontariskiot provinciski park Pres'quile e mesto kade monarh peperutikite se sobiraat pred nivniot dolg let kon meksiko.
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| Originally posted by beaver hunter http://www.ontarioparks.com/english/pres-natural.html Ontariskiot provinciski park Pres'quile e mesto kade monarh peperutikite se sobiraat pred nivniot dolg let kon meksiko. |
interesno.
