Caribbean Butterflies
The Jamaican Monarch Butterflies
Jamaica is home to 136 butterfly species including the monarch butterfly.
We can spot adult monarch butterflies immediately by their two pairs of
brilliant orange, black-veined wings with white spots towards the edges.
Males have a distinguishing black dot near the centre of their hind
wing. Each fall, monarchs set out on an incredible
4,000-to-5,000-kilometre journey from Southern Canada to their wintering
sites in the mountain forests of Mexico.
This is one of the world’s longest insect migrations!
Read below for facts on monarchs.
- Monarch butterlfies are one of the most popular known and easily identified butterflies.
- Monarchs can be found in North America, South America, the Caribbean, Hawaii and Australia.
- Other Monarchs such as the Caribbean Monarch and the Lesser Monarch can also be found in Jamaica.
- Monarchs belong to the subfamily Danainae (Milkweeds & Monarchs), these butterflies lay their eggs on Milkweed plants which is later devoured by Monarch caterpillars.
- Female monarch butterflies can lay up to 250 eggs per day.