monarchbutterfliesgothroughfourgenerationseachyear.pptVIP

1. Monarch butterflies facts Monarch butterflies are the most beautiful of all butterflies, some say, and are considered the “king” of the butterflies, hence the name “monarch”. Did you know that monarch butterflies go through four generations each year? The first three generations hatch from their cocoon state (also known as the pupa or chrysalis state) and live for up to six weeks, but the fourth generation continues to live on for up to six or eight months so that they can migrate to a warmer climate, hibernate, and then start a new first generation in the spring time. Did you know that the monarch butterflies that live in North America migrate? Monarch butterflies are the only insect to migrate up to 2,500 miles to get out of the cold weather and hibernate. But not all monarch butterflies migrate; only the fourth generation of monarchs can migrate each year because the first three generations die after about six weeks from escaping their cocoons. Did you know that monarch butterflies are poisonous? They won’t harm humans, but the chemicals from the milkweed plant that they eat when they are in the larvae stage builds up inside of them and gives them a poisonous defense against predators like frogs, birds, mice and lizards. Do you know how to tell a male from a female monarch butterfly? Female Monarchs have darker veins on their wings, and the males have a spot in the center of each hind wing from which pheromones(信息素) are released. Males are also slightly larger. Female 2. Monarch butterfly life cycle Monarch butterflies go through four stages during one life cycle. These four stages are the egg, the larvae (caterpillar), the pupa (chrysalis), and the adult butterfly. Adult female monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves.? These eggs hatch, depending on temperature, in three to twelve days.?? The monarch butterfly is sometimes called the “milkweed butterfly” because its larvae eat the plant.? In fact, milkweed (马利筋) is the only thi