1. The Monarch
Student Name

2. Known as the ‘Milkweed Butterfly’
Need milkweed plant to stay alive
Females lay their eggs in this plant
Gardeners can plant native species to help sustain monarch population
Habitat loss in the United States and Mexico has decreased the monarch population. Gardeners should plant native, not tropical, milkweed, to help these butterflies stay alive. Tropical milkweed hosts a parasite that weakens the monarchs and often prevents them from migrating to Mexico.

3. Long Annual Migration Journey
Fly from Canada to Mexico
Up to 1 billion migrate each year
Travel more than 2,500 miles
Arrive in Mexico in late October
The warm Mexican winters help the monarchs stay alive.

4. Annual Migration