Monarch Butterfly
This popular butterfly not only utilizes Florida as a stop over on its long migratory route south, but also has individuals that call central and southern Florida home. The vividly colored larvae are distasteful to would be predators, sequestering distasteful chemicals from their milkweed hosts. Photo courtesy of the Illinois Natural History Survey.
Monarch Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus) (Family: Nymphalidae)
Habitat: Sandhills, flatwoods, wet prairies, forest edges
Florida range: throughout the state
Larval host plants: White Vine (Sarcostemma clausum); Strangler Vine (Morrenia odorata); Scarlet Milkweed (Asclepias humistrata); Florida Milkweed (Asclepias longifolia); White Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias perennis); Southern Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa rolfsii)
Flight: All year in south and central Florida; spring and fall in the north
Occurrence: Common
Link for more information: http://www.monarchwatch.org/index.html