- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold monarch butterfly, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the monarch butterfly
The monarch is a milkweed butterfly with orange wings edged and veined in black and marked with white spots, spanning 8.9 to 10.2 cm. It is one of the most familiar North American butterflies, with populations also further south in the Americas and in parts of Europe, Oceania and Southeast Asia. Eastern North American monarchs migrate south each late summer and autumn from the northern and central United States and southern Canada to Florida and Mexico, covering thousands of miles; the return north in spring spans several generations. Females lay eggs singly on milkweed, which the caterpillars eat, and this helps defend them against predators. Commonly fewer than 10% of eggs and caterpillars survive.
Monarch Butterfly facts
- The viceroy butterfly mimics its colours but is smaller and has an extra black stripe across each hindwing.
- A female typically lays 300 to 500 eggs over two to five weeks.
- Egg to adult takes as little as 25 days in warm summer temperatures.
- The migrating generation does not reach sexual maturity until overwintering is complete.
Where to see monarch butterfly in the U.S.
5 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 5 zoos holding monarch butterfly by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
California· 1
Louisiana· 1
Massachusetts· 2
Wisconsin· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
