Monarch butterfly
Transcript of Monarch butterfly
Beautiful but deadly :
Monarch Butterflies
• Rania Berrada 1
Life cycle
1. The Egg
• Laid on milkweed plant• Eggs hatch into larvae in about four days
2. The caterpillar
• Eats only milkweed leaves• Milkweed is poisonous
• The caterpillar stage is 2 weeks long 2
Life cycle
3. The Pupa
• Forms a silk cocoon : The chrysalis• Forms wings and adult organs.• Pupa stage 2 weeks
Link to video of caterpillar creating chrysalis
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Life cycle
4. The Butterfly• Dries it’s wings and makes them strong. It can fly now. • Short life: about 2 to 6 weeks long. • Adults feed on nectar from flower BUT poison remains in their
body
The whole life-cycle
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The great migration• From Canada and the US to Mexico. • Hibernation. • Fly back when spring comes.
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The poison• What does milkweed contain that makes it poisonous ?
Cardenolide
• A form of a steroid (cyclic organic compounds)• Cardiac arrester • Poisonous to most vertebrates
Click on the image to get further information about the chemical structure of cardenolide. 6
Defense against predators• Caterpillar : black white and yellow bands • Butterfly : orange and black coloration
Warning of poisonous characteristics and the bitter taste !!
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Cardenolides as medecine
• Similar to digitalis (used for heart problems)
• Treat congestive heart failure• The force of muscle contractions increases
Should not exceed the stated dose !!
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Interaction with human being• Can’t kill humans. Still can run after a beautiful Monarch Butterfly …
• However, the plant is dangerous.• Extremely dangerous to the eye, can cause blindness
Don't eat them ! (Just in case…)
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Resources
Books :
• Monarch Butterfly, Volume 1 by David M. Schwartz• Monarch Butterfly Biology & Conservation (Page 55) by Karen
Suzanne Oberhauser
Internet links :
• Interactions with Milkweed• Monarch butterfly life cycle
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ContactsContact me :• Rania Berrada: engineering student in TELECOM Saint Etienne• E-mail: rania.berrada(At)telecom-st-etienne.fr• Web page: telecomAcademy
Contact a professional : • MONARCH WATCH : Dedicated to Education, Conservation and
Preservation• Website: http://www.monarchwatch.org/• E-mail: monarch(At)ukans.edu
• THE MONARCH MAGIC CO: Jenny and Jon Hobson• Website: http://www.monarchmagic.com• E-mail: monarchmagic(At)hotmail.com 11
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