Hi Gillian,
The male Monarch has a black dot on each of his hindwings (the lower ones). These are scent patches. You can see a picture here:
http://www.monarchwatch.org/biology/sexing.htm
Cheers
Jacqui
AnonymousInactive
It has been such a pleasure to see 8 of “my” butterflies take to the air this past week, but I don’t know how to tell males from females. Can someone explain please. I saw 2 presumably mating in flight to-day, one seemed larger than the other. I also didn’t know that monarchs take nectar from agapanthus flowers till I saw a couple on my daughter’s plant recently.
Pam…. can you email me on paws.for.thought@xtra.co.nz please and I will you how the entomologist told me to measure wingspan etc.
AnonymousInactive
Haven’t had a reply from Gill yet on how to measure wings, but I measure them from the part furtherest away from their head to the wing tip . As butterflys don’t keep still I found it easier to do it with the wings together and double the figure.
I also tried measuring the length of caterpillars as well. This technique needs a lot of refining as to really get the growth rate I would have to put them into separate labled containers to estimate how fast they grow and time the hatching of the crysalis.
Pam
Hi Pam,
Good on you! This is Jacqui but not at home, so had to register again as I didn’t have my password.
I suggest that you contact Gill to tell her you’re keen to measure and record details, as there’s a scientific way of measuring the wings, and Gill can tell you all about it.
AnonymousInactive
yesterday, I pulled a very wet monarch female out of the drink thinking it had died as it’s wings were together. After placing it on a bush with it’s wings outstretched hoped maybe it could dry out and fly. well in the afternoon it disappeared from where I put it and searched for it. Later I found a live female around the same size that looked like it’s wings had wet blotches over it. So took it inside. the wings measured 9 cm and today it flew away a healthy female.
AnonymousInactive
found a male today with a 10cm wingspan and another male with a 12 cm wingspan.
AnonymousInactive
On Thursday released a male monarch with a 10cm wingspan
Pam
AnonymousInactive
In November I released 11 butterflies to my knowledge. More males than females. Since then I have released a male and a female.
I will measure the wings from now on.
Pam