Danaus plexippus

Monarch - Unmistakable with its orange black and white patterning. Quite a large butterfly, the wingspan can be up to 10.2 cm. Very similar to the Plain Tiger which has similar markings. I actually thought this butterfly was a bird when I first caught distant glance of it in Quinta do Lago in Portugal. The North American Monarch covers thousands of miles during migration. Fabulous to watch in flight with a flutter then a long gliding motion. Some Monarch have to travel over 6000 km to reach Portugal. No wonder then that some chose to stay. The first recorded breeding there was in late 1990's