monarch butterfly

monarch butterfly

n.

A large American butterfly (Danaus plexippus) having light orange-brown wings with black veins and white-spotted black borders, noted for its long-distance migrations and its brightly striped caterpillars that feed on the milkweed plant. Also called milkweed butterfly.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

monarch butterfly - large migratory American butterfly having deep orange wings with black and white markings; the larvae feed on milkweed Danaus plexippus, milkweed butterfly, monarch danaid, danaid butterfly - large tropical butterfly with degenerate forelegs and an unpleasant taste Danaus, genus Danaus - type genus of the Danaidae: monarch butterflies