Destinations
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Monarch butterflies
Monarch butterflies Danaus plexippus are rightly celebrated for their annual migration through North America to their spectacular winter roosts in pine trees in the mountains of Mexico. Many of us marvelled at the spectacle shown on David Attenborough's recent 'Life' programme on the BBC.
Yet as a European species they are much less known. However, Honeyguiders have enjoyed Monarchs in Madeira and Algarve, where they are resident rather than migratory, and it's these we feature here.
Monarch on silkweed plants, Algarve, April 2009
Being a long-distance migrant, it's not surprising that Monarchs often cross the Atlantic. They are an occasional migrant in western Britain and it's now well-known that they are established on the Atlantic islands of the Canaries, Azores and Maderia. Much less known – or at least published – is that they are also in Portugal's Algarve, where four Honeyguide groups have seen them.
The food plant here is bristle-fruited silkweed (Gomphocarpus fruticosus), a member of the milkweed family, though a South African species rather than the many milkweeds Asclepias from North America.
Indeed another name for the Monarch is the milkweed, after this group of plants that the caterpillars favour. They absorb toxins in the milkweed, making them and the adult butterflies distasteful to birds and other predators.
Silkweed with Monarch, Algarve, April 2007
The Algarve colony we visit – there are others – is near Silves. The silkweed grows on some open ground in a little triangle of roads, so making plants and caterpillars, with good timing and some searching, easy to photograph.
Honeyguider Sonia Donaghy zooms in on a Monarch caterpillar. Silves castle is in the background.
Photographing the fast-flying adults is much more of a challenge. A cool moment, freshly emerged butterflies or tatty old ones may be possible.
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African Monarch
In South Africa's Garden Route this autumn, I spotted a patch of milkweed opposite our base at Coral Tree Cottages. There were no caterpillars or other signs here, but the search was on for the similar African Monarch Danaus chrysippus aegyptius. We were lucky: a regular breakfast venue down the road at Old Nick's had a wonderful extended garden. I was able to creep close to this butterfly on the lawn.
African Monarch
Because predators know Monarchs are poisonous, there are mimics. In Africa, female Mocker Swallowtails adopt several forms, including that of the distasteful Monarch. Read an article here about this in the Kruger National Park.
The upperside lacks of the African Monarch lacks the distinctive black lines on the species in America and southern Europe. (Photo by Rob May)
Back to nature notes Chris Durdin, November 2009
Go to the bottom of this web page to find out what the butterfly is on our home and news pages.
Next chance to see Monarchs with Honeyguide: Madeira in February. Below: Monarch on pride-of Madeira (Madeira Wind Birds)
More information on Monarchs on Wikipedia here
This crumpled looking Monarch has probably just emerged from its chrysalis.
Silkweed flowers; Silves Castle is in the background
Monarch caterpillar with fruits of bristle-fruited silkweed (Brian Anderson)
Monarch caterpillar, Silves, Algarve, April 2009
Chris photographing African Monarch (John Durdin)
Rayed blue - same lawn!
