THE MILKWEED BUTTERFLIES 233 



states there is another — the Queen — and in Florida, still a 

 third. The distinguishing characteristics are found in the 

 dwarfed, useless front legs and the absence of scales upon 

 the antennae. 



The Monarch 



Anosia plexippus 



From June until October one may often see the stately 

 Monarch flitting leisurely about over fields and meadows. 

 It is one of the largest and most distinctive of these "frail 

 children of the air" and may be easily recognized by its re- 

 semblance to the picture opposite page 241. The veins of 

 the wings are heavily marked in black, with large white 

 dots upon the black bands along the margin. The color of 

 the rest of the wings both above and below is reddish 

 brown. 



These butterflies come from the South in spring or early 

 summer. They find milkweed plants and lay their eggs 

 upon the leaves. These eggs soon hatch into small white 

 and black caterpillars that feed upon the milkweed leaves 

 and grow rapidly. One is likely to find them throughout 

 most of the summer, wherever a milkweed shows partially 

 eaten leaves. Bring in the half -grown caterpillars, place 

 them in an open vivarium, and furnish fresh leaves every 

 day or two. The caterpillars will soon mature and change 

 to beautiful green chrysalids with golden markings. This 

 chrysalis has been called "the glass house with the gold 

 nails." {See plates, pages S2-SS, 2Jfl.) 



About two weeks later the glass house will burst open 

 and the butterfly emerge. It will rest an hour or two while 

 its wings and body harden and then it will want to fly 



