Will they visit?: Monarch Butterflies frequently visit home gardens
Natural Distribution: Common and widespread throughout the South West and Perth region
Danaus plexippus – adlaurie (CC BY-NC 4.0). Atlas of Living Australia
Danaus plexippus – Geoffrey Cox (CC BY-NC 4.0). Atlas of Living Australia
Danaus plexippus – Hanna Clupea (CC BY-NC 4.0). Atlas of Living Australia
Danaus plexippus – Ray Turnbull (CC BY-NC 4.0). Atlas of Living Australia
Habitat at a Glance
See Habitat Guide for more detail
Shelter: Gather in large groups on tree branches
Diet: Adults feed on nectar, caterpillars feed on foliage
Water: Not required
ReWild Benefit: Pollinator
Habitat Guide - Shelter
Natural Shelter
Monarch Butterflies will shelter in large groups on tree branches and large shrubs. The caterpillars live on introduced milk weeds.
Novel Shelter
Not required.
Habitat Guide - Food and Water
Providing natural sources of food
Monarch Butterflies will feed on the nectar from many species of plants. The caterpillars are much more specialised and feed on the foliage of introduced milk weeds – many are highly invasive.
Avoid commercial non-native seeds advertised for butterflies. These plants are usually unsuitable for our native butterflies to breed on – and have the potential to become serious weeds.
Providing sources of water
Not required.
ReWild Benefits
Monarch Butterflies not native to Australia and was self introduced in the 1860-70’s, but possibly much earlier. Nonetheless, they are pollinators and help connect biodiversity across the landscape. If you see them around your garden, you can record your sighting on Atlas of Living Australia!
