The monarch needs no camouflage because it is poisonous to predators; in fact, its vivid colors are designed to ward off critters that may want to eat it. The monarch is poisonous because the developing larvae ingest to xins from the milkweed plant as they feed on the leaves. These chemicals rema in permanently in the monarch’s system, even after the caterpillar metamorphoses to a butterfly. The monarch’s survival is closely linked to the chemical defense system derived from the milk weed toxins and the nutrition supplied to the developing larvae.

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Photo credit: © NZ Collection / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: bugs, butterflies, dmc-fz200, ication, image, insects, monarch, nature, panasonic, photo, photograpgh, wings