The Wandering Monarch

In Australia, the Monarch Butterfly is often called 'The Wanderer'. I spotted this one resting outside a bar in town - not where you would most expect to find one!

Monarch were found only in the Americas until the 1800s when sightings elsewhere were recorded; the first seen and recorded in Australia was in the 1870s. Here's some info:-


"It is not clear exactly how and why this emigration occurred. One possibility is that monarchs were transported by ships, either as larvae that found their way onboard from shipyard milkweed plants, or as adult monarchs that happened to land on ocean-going vessels.

Because North American monarchs often fly over 2,200 km during their migration, it is possible that some made the journey from America to Australia on their own."

It is incredible to think how far such a delicate creature can travel. However, their numbers are in decline as their natural habitats disappear. Many scientists consider the health of this species an important barometer for the health of our planet's ecology as a whole - there's more info on this HERE.