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FRIPP ISLAND ACTIVITY CENTER
from Trawler Fall 2021
Photo provided by Fripp Island Activity Center
MONARCH BUTTERFLY
Submitted by: Jordyn Northern, Naturalist, Fripp Island Activity Center and co-written by Madison Powell
As you drive throughout Fripp Island, the first thing you may notice is the abundance of wildlife. From our deer, alligators, raccoons, and birds, Fripp makes a perfect place for an eclectic amount of species. While those animals tend to be year-round, a few others like to make their debut only once or twice a year as the seasons change. One of our favorite guests of the Fall is the Monarch Butterfly. With its bright orange-colored wings laced with black lines and white dots, this insect is one of the most beautifully known butterflies on this side of the world.
Although their wingspan is no larger than a baseball, these beautiful butterflies can still cover a significant distance. Monarchs are a migratory species, and in late October to early November, they begin to make their way down South. Starting in Northern Canada, they fly through North America to Mexico, then eventually settling in the Caribbean Islands. Along that way, they make a quick pit stop to refuel at our sweet home on Fripp Island. Butterflies are known as ectothermic, meaning that they rely on external temperatures in order to maintain their body heat. They bask in the sunlight by spreading their wings out to intake as much heat as possible. At night, they participate in communal roosting, which is when they gather together in large groups to rest. They roost in pine, cedar, and fir trees. They only fly when completely necessary because they want to conserve energy for the flight south. When traveling down South, they take advantage of Fripp’s warmer temperatures, the abundance of flower nectar, and safe resting spot before continuing their migration.
Monarch butterflies travel between 1,200 to 2,800 miles during their migration from northern Canada to the Caribbean islands.
Initially, they were native to North and South America but have spread to other warm places where milkweed grows. Milkweed is essential in the sustainability of Monarch butterflies, acting as a food source and a location to lay eggs.
Females will lay 300-500 eggs over a two to fiveweek period, laying each egg individually on the leaf of a milkweed plant. A few days later, the eggs hatch into larvae, which are what we know as caterpillars.
It takes approximately a month for a caterpillar to transform into an adult butterfly. As a caterpillar, their main job is to grow. They spend most of their time eating the milkweed plant that their mom left them on. Milkweed is a toxic plant that monarch butterflies have adapted to be able to eat. They store the toxins from the milkweed in their bodies to be used as a defense mechanism. This toxin is sustained up into the adult stage. The bright orange color warns predators that they are poisonous.
Unfortunately, their populations have declined in South America due to habitat loss and climate change. Increased carbon dioxide levels are making the milkweed plant too toxic for the monarch caterpillar to eat, which is an issue because it is their only food source. Additionally, the increasing temperature is moving breeding regions further north, causing the migration route to be longer and more difficult. These butterflies play an important role in maintaining Fripp’s beauty by pollinating all the unique flowers we have here. Therefore, it is important to protect this alluring species. If you are lucky enough to see one, be sure to take a picture!
