Danaus plexippus

Monarch at Black Range, NSW

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Identification history

Danaus plexippus

23 Mar 2020

StephH

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User's notes

A single individual feeding on the nectar of a blue-flowering exotic whose name I've forgotten. Possibly a male.

6 comments

JackieMiles wrote:

24 Mar 2020

Hmm, our book shows images of both sexes, but I'm stumped as to what the differences are. They look pretty nearly identical. The plant is Oxypetalum coeruleum (used to be Tweedia caerulea), no common name that I'm aware of, although being such a striking plant you'd think someone would have come up with one.

StephH wrote:

24 Mar 2020

Thanks Jackie. I remember the name Tweedia now. That's how I'd known it before. Is it an exotic?
Re the monarchs, my book's illustrations show a few more dots on the margin of the forewing in males but my phone pics aren't much to go by.

JackieMiles wrote:

25 Mar 2020

Yep, exotic, and fairly invasive, so if it is on your place or nearby road verge I'd be pulling it out.

StephH wrote:

25 Mar 2020

Thanks again. Will do.

GlennCocking wrote:

26 Mar 2020

This is a male - see the black patch of sex scales on the first vein out from the inner margin of the hindwing on photo 2.

StephH wrote:

26 Mar 2020

Thanks Glenn. Now that you point them out I can see the marks on the wings in the pic and in the Braby illustrations.