{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "monarch-butterfly",
  "name": "Monarch Butterfly",
  "scientificName": "Danaus plexippus",
  "category": "Insect",
  "summary": "The monarch is a large orange-and-black butterfly famous for an epic multi-generation migration of up to 4,800 km (3,000 mi) between North America and central Mexico. Monarch caterpillars feed only on milkweed, which makes the adults toxic to predators. The migratory monarch is now listed as Vulnerable due to habitat loss.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Arthropoda",
    "class": "Insecta",
    "order": "Lepidoptera",
    "family": "Nymphalidae",
    "genus": "Danaus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.0005,
    "lengthM": 0.1,
    "topSpeedKmh": 12,
    "lifespanYears": 1
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Danaus plexippus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Nectar (adult); milkweed (caterpillar)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Meadows, fields, and gardens"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "2–6 weeks; migratory generation up to 8 months"
    },
    {
      "label": "Wingspan",
      "value": "8.9–10.2 cm (3.5–4 in)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Migration",
      "value": "Up to 4,800 km (3,000 mi)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Famous for its migration across North America, from Canada to the overwintering forests of central Mexico.",
    "continents": [
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Danaus plexippus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Danaus%20plexippus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Danaus plexippus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Danaus_plexippus/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Monarch Butterfly.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_butterfly"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/monarch-butterfly/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/monarch-butterfly/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}