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VOL. 11, ISSUE 3 (2026)
Adaptive strategies for survival and reproduction in two Monarch butterflies and their associated insects on milkweed plants in Northern India and Chicago, USA
Authors
Ram Singh
Abstract
The present study compares the host
association, feeding behaviour, seasonal occurrence, reproductive behaviour,
survival strategies, and associated insect fauna of two monarch butterflies, Danaus
chrysippus Linnaeus in Northern India and Danaus plexippus
(Linnaeus) in Chicago, USA. Weekly observations on D. chrysippus were
conducted from April 2021 to October 2025 in 16 villages of South-West Delhi
and Gurugram, India, with particular emphasis on its principal larval host
plant, Calotropis procera. Observations on D. plexippus were
conducted in Chicago during August–October 2023, July–August 2024, and August
2026, with additional observations along the Pacific Coast of California during
the fall-migration period in 2026. Danaus chrysippus larvae were
recorded feeding on C. procera throughout the year, despite temperatures
ranging from approximately 10–13°C during winter to about 41°C during May–June.
Adults utilized a wide range of flowering plants for nectar feeding, including Lantana
camara, Jatropha integerrima, Calotropis procera, Tamarix
aphylla, Heliotropium curassavicum, and Oxystelma esculentum.
Courtship behaviour, roosting, and seasonal congregation were also documented.
Associated insects on C. procera included Spilostethus pandurus, S.
hospes, and Aphis nerii, the latter frequently associated with the
ladybird predator Coccinella septempunctata. In Chicago, D. plexippus
larvae were primarily associated with Asclepias syriaca, although Gomphocarpus
physocarpus supported substantial larval feeding during late August 2026
when the former host was undergoing senescence. Adults extensively utilized
flowering plants for nectar, particularly Silphium perfoliatum and Phlox
paniculata. The late-summer generation exhibited the characteristic
reproductive delay associated with autumn migration and overwintering. Oncopeltus
fasciatus was recorded feeding on A. syriaca, while A. nerii
and C. septempunctata showed associations comparable to those observed
in Northern India.
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Pages:731-739
How to cite this article:
Ram Singh "Adaptive strategies for survival and reproduction in two Monarch butterflies and their associated insects on milkweed plants in Northern India and Chicago, USA". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 11, Issue 3, 2026, Pages 731-739
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