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Visitor Messages
Showing Visitor Messages 221 to 230 of 1809
2014-03-11 19:19Last SinnerWe agree on enough things. If we were too similar, it'd be scary and make for boring conversation. I think the only other fundamental difference is you've traversed recent anime way more than I'll ever dare to, while I've gone back in time way more than you have.
*shrug* Well, for about every male character I actually give a damn about from stuff I've watched, there's ten female characters I like. Feminine characters are fine as long as they're not just submissive saps. But when it comes to me, I need complexity. I just can't see anything or anyone from a simple perspective.
I'll say it again - Madoka Ayukawa and Tomoyo Sakagami are virtually kindred spirits. They have virtually the same background, they both do things their way, they both have one heck of a kick. I guess one fundamental difference would be the naivete. Tomoyo is somewhat unfamiliar with the expectations of others/the norm - Madoka is all too familiar with them, to the point it is a nemesis. And there's this crazy but pure win episode where the three main characters end up being in a Top Gun-like scenario and Madoka is a fighter pilot.
Don't get me started about what people whinge about when it comes to females in shounens....frankly, to be a female character in a shounen title is almost always tragic, as far as I'm concerned. You're always going to have red-blooded readers only giving a damn about your body and being a love interest. They're rarely allowed to be proper characters. And I've utterly had it with the constant flood of stupid comments about Mikasa's abs, yet alone her as a character. Heaven forbid a girl from being fit and physically powerful...*facepalm* Honestly, I didn't even finish the first episode of Titan. I knew within minutes this title would make me utterly sick. My stance on shounen has pretty much come to this - if it isn't Fullmetal Alchemist, I don't care. I utterly despise shounen.
Fair points on Fate and Misato. I like them too.
Ohana was the only thing I could find to care about in H-S I and I really didn't care for what Okada saw fit to do with her.
As for Anohana - see, this is one title I wish I could have liked. Except...well...Menma....freaking Menma....You know how Rin from Bunny Drop is that kind of character that makes your heart swell and you'd do anything to give her a decent chance in life? When it comes to Menma, every organ in by body wants to simultaneously explode and send a fatal virus airborne to wipe out humanity. The guys ticked me off too. Whereas Naruko and Tsuruko were both characters that had appeal. Even if they were polar opposites and antagonistic to each other, they gave things some depth and something unique. But since the story revolves around Menma, I couldn't stay with Anohana. Again, because Okada.
The Major...see, I did think about putting her on that list. But I didn't for one reason - wish fulfillment. As awesome as Motoko's personality is as well as how she conducts herself if general on the job and in her private life, the original Stand Alone Complex series and the movie overly sexualised her. As much as the character is supposed to not be subject to one's desires, the way they used her in those parts ultimately did allow that. As for the 2nd GIG, that is when she breaks free of that stupidity IMO.
See, almost every female you listed, I somewhat agreed with. I don't think we're as different as you think we are. I just think life shaped us differently to give us different needs and perspectives.
The thing I'm always careful about now is never assume for one second what women are into within anime these days. I've learned that Elfen Lied and Gantz have WAY more female fans than I'd ever thought possible. I've seen women that look like they're in high-end jobs discretely walk into a comic/manga store and walk out with a pile of yaoi. I've seen and been told about women who only watch ecchi titles. And while it can be assumed somewhat that some women will love cute - you never can be sure of what kind. Women/females are more complex that what anime makes them out to be for the greater part. Perhaps that's part of why I need characters that are more complex than the norm. There's only so far I can detach from reality.
Frankly, it's not the females in anime that I have more issues with. It's the males....I'm not kidding that when out of the hundreds and hundreds of titles I've seen, I would utterly struggle to list ten male characters that I actually gave that much of a damn about. -
2014-03-11 09:49Last SinnerLafiel from Crest of the Stars - A very apt representative of a process-driven race and culture. An even bigger contradiction of the damsel in distress trope since Lafiel was almost always saving Jinto. Straight-forward, feisty, polite, elegant, overly confident without being arrogant. The maturity of her conversations with Jinto is just mind-blowing. If I ever had to pick one female who could have a bond with a male that wasn't solely defined or dominated by love yet so darn epic, Lafiel's with Jinto was just magic.
Lain from Serial Experiments Lain - Oh, Lain...Now, are we going to avoid the idea that Lain is a genderless entity rather than a human since she is more like a process rather than a person? Certainly Lain's creator intended Lain to be female, so I guess we can say for our discussion's sake that she is. But certainly the one person Lain always gravitated to was Arisu - after all, Arisu was the only person who ever showed Lain any true affection/treated Lain as a friend. Lain's form of love for Arisu would be quite a pure one - given Lain's real identity, there is no sexual aspect to it. It also does reinforce that affiliation and affection are earned through actions rather than mere intentions.
Lina Inverse from Slayers - Personified chaos, a real anarchist, selfish and pragmatic. Yet so damn awesome...She was never a hero but did whatever a dire situation required. An eternal source of laughter. And that crazy voice that Megumi Hayashibara gave her. They don't make them like Lina anymore.
Shiki Ryougi from Garden of Sinners - Morally ambivalent, always walking a line between sanity and darkness. Female yet many aspects of a male, further amplified by that dual-tone voice Maya Sakamoto gave Shiki. So dangerous yet so insatiable. Someone you can't be a fence-sitter with. Someone afraid of living but scared of dying. Someone who knew happiness and a normal life would never be attainable, but was able to find something worth living for just from knowing one person in the world gave a damn about her and wouldn't ever give up on her, even if he is a fair idiot at times. And seriously, how badass can you get with that red jacket and blue kimono combo outfit? Nasu, why are you so awesome?!
Kurisu Makise from Steins;Gate - Well I had to pick someone really stuck in the modern way of things in anime yet still standing. Kurisu just turned that damn tsundere trope upside-down and ending up being way more than that. The antagonist to the fanciful dreams of Hououin Kyouma and the catalyst required for Okabe to man up and become the hero. A real source of intellect and awesome nerd moments. (lab coat, Dr. Pepper, @chan, Tina) And seriously, she is the main reason those overly moe early episodes are bearable. (And yes, I know I haven't finished it yet...but I saw enough to appreciate Kurisu. It's either the next thing I watch or the one after.)
I'm going to have to extend that list to make room for Erin. Hopefully I can find a few more to go with her.
Note these wouldn't be my ten fave characters - but in terms of 'breaking the mold', for sure.
Sorry for the wall of text. -
2014-03-11 09:48Last SinnerJust wondering - if you had to pick a list of female characters in anime that 'broke the mold' so to speak - aka they weren't tied down by tropes, stereotypes or the males around them and they had something about them that really made them stand out from the rest, who would you put on there?
Last year I made a list of 10. Particularly since I'd watched certain titles to completion at the time and didn't want to forget things about them, so I typed them so I wouldn't forget.
(Splitting this into 2 posts due to length)
They were: (in no particular order)
Kajika Burnsworth from Hanasakeru Seishounen. Like, this girl....where do I begin? Her first love was a leopard. She's openly seeking love in multiple avenues from a pure-minded point of view. And fundamentally, for a shoujo title, rather than the girl becoming stronger via reliance from the guy, multiple guys are becoming stronger via her. Not to mention she resolves global tensions without batting an eyelid. She's pretty awesome.
Hiroko Matsutaka from Hataraki Man - Never have the trials and triumphs of a working woman ever been so utterly magnetic. She can be a bit crazy, she had some major vices. And whenever she was deprived of sex, man did her conversations go bonkers! But she just had an undeniable flair for success in the workplace. The positives and negatives of her and her life have quite a degree of reality to them. Hiroko really is the modern woman of today - in a real world sense. Forget the anime sense...
Kino from Kino's Journey - Nomadic and living by the principle of 'survival of the fittest.' And there is a challenging element to her. You have to appreciate Kino is the story and not the judge. And as she chooses to never judge anyone, thus the viewer must refrain from judging Kino or anyone else, otherwise the point of this show is utterly lost.
Madoka Ayukawa from Kimagure Orange Road - I'll be brief since you've heard it before. One of the original high school wonders. One of the original 'deep ocean' characters. You could never be certain how she would react to something. Madoka was the harder option, one with some glaring flaws, but a real sense of fulfillment in terms of appreciating what lay beneath the surface and the person she really was and would become. She's also a reminder that young love isn't the innocent, sugary experience too many titles make it out to be.
Nina Fortner from Monster - Quite the anti to the damsel in distress for someone with no special powers or the like. Nina was simply a woman who reacted to the terrible situation she was in admirably. She didn't back down from a task very few would have the courage to do and she did it with a mix of wit, compassion and feminista. And bonus points for anyone who makes Nazis wet themselves in terror while voiced by Noto Mamiko. -
2014-03-11 09:46Last SinnerThe double-edged sword of NANA for me as that Hachi had to fall in order to become strong. I get why some women admire that. But it's also depressing - particularly for some men - when the female gravitates to the bad man even though she knows she shouldn't. Clearly there is truth ingrained in it. But like you said, if Takumi gets off lightly after everything he's done, I will be livid. At this rate, I hope Yazawa regains the ability to finish it - as well as want to. No josei/shoujo title has reached its heights in quite a while and the legacy it would leave could be telling for what comes after it. A bit of kudos for Yasu too would be nice - now there was one cool guy.
I dropped Blue Drop, Strawberry panic and KnM very quickly. As for School Days - never seen it, don't want to. I don't need a nice boat.
.hack//SIGN - Geez, I saw that back right when I started getting into anime proper. The thing I always felt was it started reasonably well and ended fairly well. But in between it was like one drawn out music video with no RPG action going on in an RPG. Tsukasa and Subaru - there was certainly quite a bond of trust between them. That ending was a bit lol but kind of appropriate - have to hand it to Subaru considering her IRL plight. The music in that title was astoundingly good - pity the show didn't back it up.
Just for a bit of thought - conversions from game to anime. You know how some characters get turned into something they're not for god knows what reason by the director or whatever? Kaede from Shuffle is a classic example. What the hell did they do to her...in the game, she was a wreck but she never resorted to being violent or crazy if she didn't win. It was as if the people adapting this thought Kaede being the main route was criminal and had to do everything possible to defile her. Have her attack Asa for Rin choosing Asa in the anime, then go have her make invisible dinners, hang out under bridges in the rain and make her look like a complete freak. That was never the point of Kaede! Kaede was once a bit of a loony - in her early childhood because Rin made up a lie about the reason her parents were going somewhere then died so that Kaede would focus her hate onto him instead of herself. Kaede then learnt the truth and spent her life atoning, damn it...She was as understanding and supportive as someone could be. As for her route in the game and any other route for that matter - Kaede's actual stance was 'Even if Rin loves me, I don't deserve to be with him for the terrible things I've done to him.' Rin then had to work damn hard to convince Kaede she was worthy of being loved. But, you know, that freaking director and his studio had to go and turn Kaede into something she wasn't for kicks...And it turns out there's a reason. You know what the director went on to do in 2011?! Mirai Nikki! Aka THAT title with THE most crazy, insane, twisted, evil girlfriend ever! Aka giver of Stockholm Syndrome and maximum carnage daily in Yuno! Yeah...a director who likes girls losing their mind over love...what a dickbrain...Hey, in the case of Yuno, it was sometimes amusing, albeit disturbing and then some. But in the case of Kaede and making her into something she's not...that's just despicable. He also helped Minami-ke lose its popularity after the glory of Season 1 by giving it sub-par treatment...what a prick...
There's another dickbrain to go with the KnM and SD scum. -
2014-03-11 09:03Last SinnerHis gumption is high, but a few years ago, he lost the ability to finish everything, about 5 years after I lost. And he's been watching anime for over a decade longer than I have. I think Star Driver was the straw that broke the camel's back. The amount of people - especially fangirls - who claimed Star Driver was FABulous beyond belief and that it was the only reason needed to exist - ticked him off to no end. Recently he pointed out to me that Sunrise have become obsessed with overly dramatic wankfests in the aftermath of Code Geass. And I have to admit, the last five of so years of Sunrise have really made them decline in my eyes. But hey, when pure stupidity like Horizon gets made successful by obsessive fans, making insanity like that is justified.
As for Uchouten Kazoku - he quite likes the visual side of things. Visuals aren't he primarily looks for but I think it's the thing keeping him determined to finish it. It is the characters that are ruining it for him. And based on the small amount I saw of it before I dropped it - I agreed with him. But I feel his distaste and inability to care about them well exceeded mine. He's probably also determined to finish it because we both rate The Tatami Galaxy very highly, so both of us thought another title from the same author would likely be good. Wasn't the case for us.
The friendship between my mentor and I took a fair while to develop. Back when we starting crossing paths back when AJAS was actually a decent place and had a large number of people attending, he was already somewhat hardened and weathered. I can't really recall when I started approaching him since he'd decided to not be one of the active runners of things anymore at that point. What I do remember that back a decade ago - the things I was into early on were mainly terrible. And did he know it...I think from experience, he just took the approach 'he's new, in a couple of years, he will realise the downfalls and perils of the anime realm and begin to see things from a better perspective.' And he was right - a couple of years in or so, I certainly did realise most of what I had tried was terrible. There were still titles I did like, of course. It was probably around the point that I latched onto Paranoia Agent, Samurai Champloo and Genshiken S1 while they were airing that he thought 'he's beginning to go in the right direction.' I think we both felt somewhat gloomy in 2005 - in hindsight, it was an okay year, but things hadn't reached the point most titles were being made available to check out by today's usual methods. So the gems of around then weren't known to us. 2006 offered a mix of the good and bad - in hindsight, we've come to agree that 2006 was the last stand of the anime woman to quite an extent. Strong 'adult' females certainly declined in numbers post-2006 in favour of the teen version, or losing strength altogether. I think we began to speak more one-on-one around the time Code Geass was at its peak and The Garden of Sinners started appearing. The thing with him was, since he was the walking encyclopedia and would investigate almost any title, a good deal of people wanted part of his time. It wouldn't be until about sometime around 2009-2010 that he'd start making sure that I'd get a certain amount of his time no matter what. By then, other people were wearing him down hard and the people he knew from AJAS's golden years were virtually all gone to other places/things. Around then, I was as frustrated as he was with how much the signs of moe's impending empire in 2006 had taken root in 2009. So around that time, now that my gumption had been shot to pieces and titles we liked from a given season were beginning to coincide a good deal, he started making specific recommendations to start testing my boundaries. He felt life had shaped me enough/hardened me enough to be ready for the kind of titles and discussions he wouldn't bother to have with anyone else. Come 2011 and the retro year, I think we both had a revival since once certain guy compelled everyone to play old stuff once a month that year from across the decades, we both realised that with groups willing to chase after older titles, there was plenty for us to explore - or re-visit in his case. After that year, I think I've pretty much become his go-to person for someone to have a serious discussion with and to somehow find a title he either forgot or didn't notice at the time. Our views somewhat differ but we both have the appreciation of respecting what the other things and likes even if we always don't agree on specific titles. We generally agree on the basics and the state of the world and humans - if you've got that, you can get along long-term. I'm not sure how much longer he'll be alive since his physical state is terrible and has been for a long time. But it's been an honour to know him and be considered one of his friends. -
2014-03-10 14:49Last SinnerJust finished watching Kemono no Souja Erin.
Very strong storytelling throughout. Decent visuals. Very unique, appropriate music. Character cast had a lot of depth and were intricately woven into that tale.
What brought it down for me a bit was - as you hinted - the overuse of flashbacks. But moreso, the 'general audience' factor. That made me able to see what was coming in the range of 5-10 episodes before it happened. There being no element of surprise or thrill was a bit of a downer. Episodes 42-45, I swear a lot of characters suddenly lost all rational thought in those episodes before magically getting it back.
However, for such an in-depth look at humanity in terms of culture, fear, reality vs dreams, daring to live/take the ultimate risk instead of stand and watch - very well done.
Doubt we'll have much company around here to discuss it. Still, thank you for getting me to watch it. It ranks somewhere around 20-25 on my all time list. Was nice to see something of that timepoint, style and genre work so well. Seirei no Moribito and 12 Kingdoms don't come anywhere near close to this. Also nice to know something can be pitched at an all-ages level and still be this good.
My mentor says he is going to make Erin his next watch and finish it this time. He definitely sounds like he needs it since his gumption way exceeds mine and he finishes almost anything he starts. Uchoten Kazoku has really been driving him around the bend. -
2014-03-09 04:29Last SinnerAnd from a manga standpoint of decent yuri titles:
Girl Friends by Milk Morinaga - Like wow. Could this one have done a better job of making those two become friends, gradually accept the idea they both liked each other then find a way to be together long term?
12 Days - Guess this one slips under most peoples' radars since it's Korean. But for a one-volume story about a real life tragedy, it was so mature and just really said so much about people, prejudice and regret.
I Fell In Love For The First Time by Asagi Ryu - Adult woman and about to be adult girl suddenly get it on. They didn't necessarily know how or why, but they just knew after crossing paths enough times, that they simply had to be together. Not to mention one of my favourite moments in a yuri context. When the younger half of the pairing gets pressured by her peers about the rumour she's seeing an older woman, she just gets out her phone, shows a photo of them together and says 'This is her. I'm so lucky, aren't I?' And they just couldn't slam her at all for that. That's the kind of boldness I'd like to see more of.
Maka-Maka - Two female adults that remained best friends no matter what and engaged in casual sex/masturbation with each other whenever needed to cope with life. It was simple and believable. Not only was it the rarity of adults being sensible with normal aspriations and traits and not being utterly sex-crazed, they were openly and honestly depicted with the feelings and desires women have. How very damn rare.
I think it's as you say - so many people just can't handle the notion a woman doesn't want a guy's downstairs department or that they don't want to be mothers or a housewife. After all, Japanese men are the least willing in the world to do domestic chores while Japanese women do nearly the most in the world. Maybe this is why yaoi gets more relatively accepted - there's no threat to the guys while it's wish fulfillment for women.
There was actually one manga I did get in full that had a very unique twist on yaoi fandom. A 5 volume title called My Girlfriend's A Geek. Young adult male meets young adult woman at a part-time job. They become friends but he doesn't know enough about anime to see the flags that she's a fujioshi. So when he asks her to be his girlfriend, she seirously asks him 'Are you okay that I'm a fujioshi? Can you still want me as your girlfriend despite that?' What makes the guy such a champ is that despite not knowing it at the time then learning 'the hard way' after, he finds a way to make it work. He learns when to indulge her fetishes but gradually learns to tell her when she's going too far. And in the end, they become a functional couple. Like hell, how often is someone willing to allow someone with fetishes to be normal in other aspects and be able to find happiness in creative media? That one was a refreshing change for the notion that all fuijoshi are freaks. Yes, 'some' of them can be violent, pushy and forceful with what they want and how they treat others. But some of them are normal people who happen to like that material. It isn't a singular quality that defines a person. So sad people can't accept that. -
2014-03-09 04:27Last SinnerI dropped Blue Drop so early - it seemed so damn weird/twisted. And you've explained why.
That's just one title though. There's more to discuss on the saner, 'it's a phase' and dysfunctional sides.
Seikon no Qwaser - Like honestly, who made this?! Who thought this was a good idea?! Yeah, I know it sold well in Japan, but it's a sick joke. Honestly, since when was women sexually assaulting other women in full public view on a regular basis seen as plausible let alone normal....this just offends me on every level. The fact 2 seasons of this bollocks got approved is an indictment on the anime industry and just showed what they were thinkings about females at the time.
Kannazuki no Miko - Oh, the amount of stupidity that goes on in this one. The flute scene alone is enough to show how twisted and scheming this one was. (Yes, I am forcefully going to take your virginity for your own good, because it's totally fine....no sane/logical person would think that...) Argh...to think this was once considered the bastion for yuri fans. Like, that is just chilling.
Strawberry Panic - Totally geared for the lols and mindless fanservice. No wonder I only ever heard self-admitted perverts champion this one.
It's a phase:
Yuruyuri - I wouldn't call this offensive per se. But this is so totally labelling girl-girl feelings as a phase and goes so far as to remove any threat to masculinitiy by putting them well out of an age range to be sought after in the first place. As well as tickle the fancy of closet lolis. Lord knows I heard too many people locally rave on/say things about this title I never wanted to hear. Again, that it was a 2 seasoner confounds me. I know some people - some of them females, which is their choice - like this one. I just find it all watered down and trivialised.
Candy Boy - Oh christ....yeah, let's get some teen incest going to bastardise yuri even more as a phase thing. No one could possibly take this one seriously or be threatened by it.
Simoun - A society where people are all female until 17 then get to choose their gender. What a daring and well-constructed world to go with that. And I'm sure so many people resented it for being so.
Aoi Hana - Somewhat dramatic yet so gorgeous and definitely put the two leads through the blender at times. That it valued friendship as much as it did being in love was critical to its goodness.
Marimite - Well, here's something bound to flick the hate switches of so many people. Not only a bunch of females clearly going beyond friends, but within a Christian school that isn't being demonised either! So devoid of hate and discrimination. Like honestly, the fact this show came to pass and had FOUR seasons is a miracle of the better kind. It's enough to think there is some good in humanity - maybe.
Kashimashi - It was a bit silly but once things got going a bit, it was somewhat serious. Choosing between the person who's always been there for you and the person that suddenly goes crazy over you - a fair dilemma. Manga ended it better though.
Sakura Trick - And this just takes it lightly. They didn't necessarily want to go the distance for life. They wanted to be able to make some good memories and stay friends. I'm sure the sometimes excessive service is perhaps more of the reason this show gets attention. But...the fact it's able to portray the girls involved as rather sane in comparison to some of the stupidity we've discussed is quite refreshing. -
2014-03-09 00:14Last SinnerA question I wanted to ask both you and R3 - something a good friend posed to me last night.
Why is it that a a consensual yuri relationship is considerably less mainstream than the more dysfunctional yuri relationships?
Would like to hear your thoughts.
About Me
- About Archon_Wing
- Gender
- Male
- Location
- The Mists
- Interests
- Scifi, Writing, Starcraft, Civ IV, Sarcasm, Hating, Cupcakes, Distilled Moe
- Occupation
- Troll
- PC Configuration
- 2.93 ghz Intel Dual-Core, 2gb ram, ATI Radeon 4670, Windows 7
- Avatar & Signature
- Avatar: Kuroyukihime (Accel World) Signature: Fate Testarossa (I forgot)
- Currently Watching
- Fate/Stay Night (2014)
April is your Lie - Favourites
- ===All Time Favorites==
Higurashi Kai (10)
Puella Magi Madoka Magica (10)
Hunter x Hunter (9.5+, not complete)
Steins;Gate (9.5)
Usagi Drop (9)
Little Busters! Refrain (9)
Clannad After Story (9)
Akagi (9)
Paranoia Agent (9)
Shin Sekai Yori (9)
Serial Experiments Lain (9)
Ergo Proxy(9)
Fate/Zero (9)
Nana (9)
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (9)
Tiger and Bunny (9)
Durarara! (9)
Zetusen no Tempest (9)
Neon Genesis Evangelion (8.5)
Mawaru Penguindrum (8.5)
Nanoha A's (8.5)
Tari Tari (8.5)
Anohana (8.5)
True Tears (8.5)
Kemono no Soujia Erin (8.5)
== Top Movies==
The End of Evangelion (10)
Colorful (9.5)
Time of Eve (9.5)
5cm per second (9)
Okami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki (9)
Castle in the Sky (8.5)
Summer Wars (8.5)
Place Promised in our Early Days (8.5)
Kotonoha no Niwa (8)
Nanoha Movie 1st & 2nd A's (8)
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (8)
The greatest lie is to convince people that the world is a dangerous place and a zero sum game where you are never safe. Distrust others and fight them for scraps, while the real enemy that spreads this lie takes the whole pie.
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Monarch butterfly
Monarch butterfly | |
Female | |
Male | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Nymphalidae |
Tribe: | Danaini |
Genus: | Danaus Kluk, 1802 |
Species: | D. plexippus |
Binomial name | |
Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Synonyms | |
The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. It may be the most familiar North American butterfly. Its wings feature an easily recognizable orange and black pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (3½–4 in)[3] (the viceroy butterfly is similar in color and pattern, but is markedly smaller and has an extra black stripe across the hind wing).
The eastern North American monarch population is notable for its multigenerational southward late-summer/autumn migration from the United States and southern Canada to Mexico, covering thousands of miles. The western North American population of monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains most often migrate to sites in California but have been found in overwintering Mexico sites.[4][5] Monarchs were transported to the International Space Station and were bred there.[6]
The monarch's wingspan ranges from 8.9 to 10.2 centimetres (3.5–4.0 in).[3] The upper side of the wings is tawny-orange, the veins and margins are black, and in the margins are two series of small white spots. The forewings also have a few orange spots near the tip. The underside is similar, but the tip of the forewing and hindwing are yellow-brown instead of tawny-orange and the white spots are larger.[7] The shape and color of the wings change at the beginning of the migration and appear redder and more elongated than later migrants.[8] Wings size and shape differ between migratory and non-migratory monarchs. Monarchs from the eastern population of North America have larger and more angular forewings than those in the western population.[6]
Its flight has been described as "slow and sailing".[9]
Adults exhibit sexual dimorphism. The male has a black patch or spot of androconial scales on either hindwing (in some butterflies, these patches disperse pheromones, but are not known to do so in monarchs), and the black veins on its wing are lighter and narrower than the female's.[10] The male is also slightly larger.[6][7] One variation has been observed in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and the United States termed nivosus by lepidopterists. It is grayish-white in all areas of the wings that are normally orange and is only about 1% or less of all monarchs, but populations as high as 10% exist on Oahu in Hawaii.[11]
Like all insects, the monarch has six legs, but uses the four hindlegs as it carries its two front legs against its body.[12]
The range of the western and eastern populations of the monarch butterfly expands and contracts dependent upon the season. The range differs between breeding areas, migration routes and winter roosts.[6]:(p18)
In North America, the monarch ranges from southern Canada to northern South America. It has also been found in Bermuda, Cook Islands,[13] Hawaii, Cuba[14] and other Caribbean islands[6]:(p18) the Solomons, New Caledonia, New Zealand,[15] Papua New Guinea,[16] Australia, New Guinea, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, the Azores, the Canary Islands Philippines, North Africa[17] and Honolulu.[18][19] It appears in the UK in some years as an acccidental.[20] No genetic differences between monarch populations exist.[21] Reproductive isolation has had no effect in creating sub species.[6]:(p19)
The monarch butterfly is not currently listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) or protected specifically under U.S. domestic laws.[22] On 14 August 2014, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for Food Safety filed a legal petition requesting Endangered Species Act protection for the monarch and its habitat.[6]
Overwintering populations of D. plexippus are found in Mexico, California, along the Gulf coast, year-round in Florida, and in Arizona where the habitat provides the specific conditions necessary for their survival.[23][24] The overwintering habitat typically provides access to streams, plenty of sunlight (for body temperatures that allow flight), appropriate vegetation on which to roost, and is relatively free of predators. Overwintering, roosting butterflies have been seen on sumacs, locusts, basswood elm, oak, osage orange, mulberry, pecan, willow, cottonwood, and mesquite.[25] While breeding, its habitat can be found in agricultural fields, pasture land, prairie remnants, urban and suburban residential areas, gardens, trees, and roadsides – anywhere where there is access to larval host plants.[26] Habitat restoration is a primary goal in monarch conservation efforts. Habitat requirements change during migration. During the fall migration, butterflies must have access to nectar-producing plants. During the spring migration, butterflies must have access to larval food plants and nectar plants.
Life cycle[edit]
The monarch undergoes the four stages of complete metamorphosis:
Eggs are laid singly on the underside of a young leaf of a milkweed plant during the spring and summer months.[27] The eggs are cream-colored or light green, ovate to conical in shape, and about 1.2 x 0.9 mm in size. The eggs weigh less than 0.5 mg each and have raised ridges that form longitudinally from the point to apex to the base. Females lay their eggs on milkweed that make their offspring less sick.[28][29] Eggs take 3 to 8 days to develop and hatch into larva or caterpillars.[6]:(p21)
The caterpillar goes through five major, distinct stages of growth and after each one it molts. Each caterpillar, or instar, that molts is larger than the previous as they eat and store energy in the form of fat and nutrients to carry them through the nonfeeding pupal stage.
The first instar caterpillar that emerges out of the egg is pale green and translucent. It lacks banding coloration or tentacles. The larvae or caterpillar eats its egg case and begins to feed on milkweed. It is during this stage of growth that the caterpillar begins to sequester cardenolides. The caterpillar uses a circular motion while eating milkweed which prevents the flow of latex that could entrap it.
The second instar larva develops a characteristic pattern of white, yellow and black transverse bands. It is no longer translucent but is covered in short setae. Pairs of black tentacles begin to grow. One pair grows on the thorax and another pair on the abdomen.
The third instar larva has more distinct bands and the two pairs of tentacles become longer. Legs on the thorax differentiate into a smaller pair near the head and larger pairs further back. These third stage caterpillars began to eat along the leaf edges.
The fourth instar has a different banding pattern. It develops white spots on the prolegs near the back of the caterpillar.
The fifth instar larva has a more complex banding pattern and white dots on the prolegs, with front legs that are small and very close to the head.
At this stage of development is relatively large compared to the earlier instars. The caterpillar completes its growth. At this point, it is 25 to 45 mm long and 5 to 8 mm wide. This can be compared to the first instar which was 2 to 6 mm long and 0.5 to 1.5 mm wide. Fifth instar larvae increase 2000 times from first instars. Fifth stage instar larva chew through the petiole or mid-rev of milkweed leaves and stop the flow of latex. After this, they eat more leaf tissue. Before pupation, larva must consume milkweed to increase their mass prior to pupation. Larva stop feeding and search for a pupation site. The caterpillar attaches itself securely to a horizontal surface with a silk pad. At this point, it latches on with its hind legs and hangs down. It then molts into an opaque, blue-green chrysalis small with gold dots. At normal summer temperatures, it matures in a few weeks. The cuticle of the chrysalis becomes transparent and the monarchs characteristic orange and black wings become visible. At the end of metamorphosis, the adult emerges from the chrysalis, expand its wings and flies away. Monarch metamorphosis from egg to adult occurs in as little as 25 days during the warm summer temperatures come to as many as seven weeks during cool spring conditions. During the development both larva and their milkweed hosts are vulnerable to weather extremes predators, parasites and diseases commonly fewer than 10% of monarch eggs and caterpillars survive.[6]:(pp21-22)
In the pupa or chrysalis stage, the caterpillar spins a silk pad on to a horizontal substrate. It then hangs from the pad by the last pair of prolegs upside down resembling the letter 'J'. It sheds its skin leaving itself encased in an articulated green exoskeleton. During this pupal stage, the adult butterfly forms inside. The exoskeleton becomes transparent before it ecloses (emerges), and its adult colors finally can be seen.
The adult butterfly emerges after about two weeks, and hangs until its wings are dry. Fluids are pumped into wings and they expand and stiffen. The monarch expands and retracts its wings, and once conditions allow it then flies to feed on a variety of nectar plants. During the breeding season adults reach sexual maturity in four or five days, however, the migrating generation will not reach maturity until overwintering is complete.[30] Monarchs typically live two to five weeks during the breeding season.[6]:(pp22-23) Larvae growing in high densities are smaller, have lower survival, and weigh less as adults compared to lower densities.[31]
Males that are fit are more likely to mate. Females and males typically mate more than once. Females that mate several times lay more eggs.[32] Mating for the overwintering populations occurs in the spring, prior to dispersion. Mating is less dependent on pheromones than other species in its genus.[33]
Courtship occurs in two phases. During the aerial phase, the male pursues and often forces the female to the ground. During the ground phase, the butterflies copulate and remain attached for about 30 to 60 minutes.[34] Only 30% of mating attempts end in copulation, suggesting that females may be able to avoid mating though some have more success than others.[35][36] During copulation, the male transfers the spermatophore to the female. Along with sperm, the spermatophore provides the female with nutrition to aid her in egg-laying. An increase in spermatophore size increases the fecundity of female monarchs. Males that produce larger spermatophores also fertilize more female's eggs.[37]
Pictorial lifecycle[edit]
The name "monarch" may be in honor of King William III of England.[38] The monarch was originally described by Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae of 1758 and placed in the genus Papilio.[39] In 1780, Jan Krzysztof Kluk used the monarch as the type species for a new genus Danaus.
There are three species of Monarch butterflies:
- D. plexippus, described by Linnaeus in 1758, is the species known most commonly as the monarch butterfly of North America. Its range actually extends worldwide and can be found in Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and on Oceanic Islands.
- D. erippus, the southern monarch, was described by Cramer in 1775. This species is found in tropical and subtropical latitudes of South America, mainly in Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and southern Peru. The south American monarch and the North American monarch may have been one species at one time. Some researchers believe the southern monarch separated from the monarch's population some 2 mya, at the end of the Pliocene. Sea levels were higher, and the entire Amazonas lowland was a vast expanse of brackish swamp that offered limited butterfly habitat.[40]
- D. cleophile Jamaican monarch (Godart in 1819) – ranges from Jamaica to Hispaniola.[41]
Six subspecies and two color morphs of D. plexippus have been identified:[42]
- D. p. plexippus – nominate subspecies, described by Linnaeus in 1758, is the migratory subspecies known from most of North America.
- D. p. nigrippus (Richard Haensch, 1909) – as forma: Danais [sic] archippus f. nigrippus. Hay-Roe et al. in 2007 identified this taxon as a subspecies:[44]
- D. p. megalippe (Jacob Hübner, [1826]) – nonmigratory subspecies, and is found from Florida and Georgia southwards, throughout the Caribbean and Central America to the Amazon River.
- D. p. leucogyne (Arthur G. Butler, 1884) − St. Thomas.
- D. p. portoricensis A. H. Clark, 1941 − (Puerto Rico).
- D. p. tobagi A. H. Clark, 1941 − (Tobago).
The percentage of the white morph in Oahu is nearing 10%. On other Hawaiian islands, the white morph occurs at a relatively low frequency. White Monarchs (nivosus) have been found throughout the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and the United States.[11]
Some taxonomists disagree on these classifications.[40][44]
Monarchs were classified under the family Danaidae, but have been re-classified under Nymphalidae since at least 1958.[45]
Larvae host plants[edit]
The host plants used by the monarch caterpillar include:
North America[edit]
- Asclepias nivea – Caribbean Milkweed
- Asclepias syriaca – Common Milkweed
- Asclepias incarnata – Swamp Milkweed
- Asclepias verticillata – Whorled Milkweed
- Asclepias tuberosa – Butterfly Weed
- Asclepias exaltata – Poke Milkweed
- Asclepias viridis – Green Antelopehorn Milkweed
- Asclepias asperula – Antelopehorns Milkweed
- Asclepias oenotheroide – Zizotes Milkweed
- Asclepias variegata – White Milkweed
- Asclepias perennis – Aquatic Milkweed
- Asclepias humistrata – Sandhill/Pinewoods Milkweed
- Asclepias fascicularis – Mexican Whorled Milkweed
- Asclepias speciosa – Showy Milkweed
- Asclepias subulata – Rush Milkweed
- Asclepias erosa – Desert Milkweed
- Asclepias californica – California Milkweed
- Asclepias cordifolia – Heartleaf Milkweed
- Asclepias vestita – Woolly Milkweed
- Asclepias eriocarpa – Woolly Pod Milkweed[46]
- Sarcostemma clausa – white vine[18][47]
- Cynanchum laeve – Sand vine milkweed[48]
Asclepias curassavica has been planted as an ornamental and naturalized. Its distribution is probably worldwide. Year-round plantings may be the cause of new overwintering sites along the Gulf coast and in Spain.
Adult food sources[edit]
Although larvae eat only milkweed, adult monarchs feed on the nectar of many plants including:
- Apocynum cannabinum – Indian hemp
- Asclepias sp. – milkweeds
- Aster sp. – asters
- Cirsium sp. – thistles
- Daucus carota – wild carrot
- Dipsacus sylvestris – teasel
- Echinacea sp. – coneflowers
- Erigeron canadensis – horseweed
- Eupatorium maculatum – spotted joe-pye weed
- Eupatorium perfoliatum – common boneset
- Hesperis matronalis – dame's rocket
- Medicago sativa – alfalfa
- Solidago sp. – goldenrod
- Syringa vulgaris – lilac
- Trifolium pratense – red clover
- Vernonia altissima – tall ironweed[24]
Monarchs obtain moisture and minerals from damp soil and wet gravel, a behavior known as mud-puddling. The monarch has also been noticed puddling at an oil stain on pavement.[24]
Origin of name[edit]
Danaus (Greek Δαναός), a great-grandson of Zeus, was a mythical king in Egypt or Libya, who founded Argos; Plexippus was one of the 50 sons of Aegyptus, the twin brother of Danaus.
In Homeric Greek plexippos (πληξιππος) means "one who urges on horses", i.e. "rider or charioteer". In the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, at the bottom of page 467,[49] Linnaeus wrote that the names of the Danai festivi, the division of the genus to which Papilio plexippus belonged, were derived from the sons of Aegyptus. Linnaeus divided his large genus Papilio, containing all known butterfly species, into what we would now call subgenera. The Danai festivi formed one of the 'subgenera', containing colourful species, as opposed to the Danai candidi, containing species with bright white wings. Linnaeus wrote: "Danaorum Candidorum nomina a filiabus Danai Aegypti, Festivorum a filiis mutuatus sunt." (= The names of the Danai candidi have been derived from the daughters of Danaus, those of the Danai festivi from the sons of Aegyptus).
Robert Michael Pyle suggested Danaus is a masculinised version of Danaë (Greek Δανάη), Danaus's great-great-granddaughter, to whom Zeus came as a shower of gold, which seemed to him a more appropriate source for the name of this butterfly.[50] He masculinized the genus name because it had to agree in gender with the species name. If the species-group name is not a noun in apposition, Pyle could have been right and the genus name and specific epithet have to agree in gender, but in that case it is the specific epithet and not the genus name, that is to be altered. In the case of Danaus plexippus, however, the specific epithet is a noun in apposition, formed from a personal name in the nominative case, which should not be altered (see ICZN art. 31.1 and art. 32.3). If, instead of Danaus, Danaë had been intended, the name would simply have been Danae plexippus. Moreover, in Systema Naturae, there is a very strong connection of the names with Danaus, and not a single one with Danaë.
The eastern population migrates both north and south on an annual basis. The population east of the Rocky Mountains migrates to the sanctuaries of the Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. The western population overwinters in various coastal sites in central and southern California. The overwintered population of those east of the Rockies may reach as far north as Texas and Oklahoma during the spring migration. The second, third and fourth generations return to their northern locations in the United States and Canada in the spring.[51] Commercially bred monarchs migrate to overwintering sites in Mexico adding to already existing data of migratory behavior. Not all monarchs in the eastern population migrate to Mexico.[52]
Defense against predators[edit]
In both caterpillar and butterfly form, monarchs are aposematic—warding off predators with a bright display of contrasting colors to warn potential predators of their undesirable taste and poisonous characteristics.
Large larvae are able to avoid wasp predation by dropping from the plant or by jerking their bodies.[53]
Monarchs are foul-tasting and poisonous due to the presence of cardenolide aglycones in their bodies, which the caterpillars ingest as they feed on milkweed.[33] By ingesting a large amount of plants in the genus Asclepias, primarily milkweed, monarch caterpillars are able to sequester cardiac glycosides, or more specifically cardenolides, which are steroids that act in heart-arresting ways similar to digitalis.[54] It has been found that monarchs are able to sequester cardenolides most effectively from plants of intermediate cardenolide content rather than those of high or low content.[55]
Additional studies have shown that different species of milkweed have differing effects on growth, virulence, and transmission of parasites.[56] One species, Asclepias curassavica, appears to reduce the proportion of monarchs infected by parasites. There are two possible explanations for the positive role of A. curassavica on the monarch caterpillar: that it promotes overall monarch health to boost the monarch's immune system; or that chemicals from the plant have a direct negative effect on the parasites.[56]
After the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, the toxin shift to different parts of the body. Since many birds attack the wings of the butterfly, having three times the cardiac glycosides in the wings leaves predators with a very foul taste and may prevent them from ever ingesting the body of the butterfly.[54] In order to combat predators that remove the wings only to ingest the abdomen, monarchs keep the most potent cardiac glycosides in their abdomens.[57]
Monarchs share the defense of noxious taste with the similar-appearing viceroy butterfly in what is perhaps one of the most well-known examples of mimicry. Though long purported to be an example of Batesian mimicry, the viceroy is actually reportedly more unpalatable than the monarch, making this a case of Müllerian mimicry.[58]
Human interaction[edit]
The monarch is the state insect of Alabama,[59] Idaho,[60] Illinois,[61] Minnesota,[62] Texas,[63] Vermont,[64] and West Virginia.[65] It was nominated in 1990 as the national insect of the United States,[66] but the legislation did not pass.[67]
Monarchs can be attracted by cultivating a butterfly garden with specific milkweed species and nectar plants. Efforts are underway to establish these Monarch Waystations. Monarchs are raised as a hobby and for educational purposes.[68]
An IMAX film Flight of the Butterflies describes the story of the Urquharts, Brugger and Trail to then unknown migration to Mexican overwintering areas.[69]
Sanctuaries and reserves have been created at over-wintering locations in Mexico and California to limit habitat destruction. These sites can generate significant tourism revenue.[70]
Organizations and individuals participate in tagging programs. Tagging information is used to study migration patterns.[71]
Monarchs are bred and used in schools, hospices, memorial services and weddings.[72] Memorial services for 911 include the release of captive bred monarchs.[73][74][75] Monarchs are used in schools and nature centers for educational purposes.[76]
Larva feed exclusively on milkweed and consume protective cardiac glycosides. Toxin levels in Asclepias sp.vary. Not all monarchs are unpalatable, but exhibit Batesian or automimics. Cardiac glycosides levels are higher in the abdomen and wings. Some predators can differentiate between these parts and consume the most palatable ones.[77] Bird predators include brown thrashers, grackles, robins, cardinals, sparrows, scrub jays, pinyon jays,[77]Black-headed Grosbeak, and orioles.[18]
Some mice are able to withstand large doses of the toxin. Overwintering adults become less toxic over time making them more vulnerable to predators. In Mexico, about 14% of the overwintering monarchs are eaten by birds and mice.[23]
In North America, eggs and first instar larvae of the monarch are eaten by larvae and adults of the introduced Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis).[78] The Chinese mantis ("Tenodera sinensis") will consume the larvae once the gut is removed thus avoiding cardenolides.[79] Wasps commonly consume larvae.[80]
Several birds have also adapted various methods that allow them to ingest monarchs without experiencing the ill effects associated with the cardiac glycosides. The oriole is able to eat the monarch through an exaptation of its feeding behavior that gives it the ability to identify cardenolides by taste and reject them.[81] The grosbeak, on the other hand, has adapted the ability an insensitivity to secondary plant poisons which allows it to ingest monarchs without vomiting. As a result, orioles and grosbeaks will periodically have high levels of cardenolides in their bodies, and they will be forced to go on periods of reduced monarch consumption. This cycle of predation effectively reduces the potential predation of monarchs by 50 percent and indicates that monarch aposematism has a legitimate purpose.[81]
On Oahu, a white morph of the monarch has emerged. This is because of the introduction, in 1965 and 1966, of two bulbul species, Pycnonotus cafer and Pycnonotus jocosus. They are now the most common insectivore birds, and probably the only ones preying on insects as large as the monarch. Monarchs in Hawaii are known to have low cardiac glycoside levels, but the birds may also be tolerant of the chemical. The two species hunt the larvae and some pupae from the branches and undersides of leaves in milkweed bushes. The bulbuls also eat resting and ovipositing adults, but rarely flying ones. Because of its colour, the white morph has a higher survival rate than the orange one. This is either because of apostatic selection (i.e. the birds have learned the orange monarchs can be eaten), because of camouflage (the white morph matches the white pubescence of milkweed or the patches of light shining through foliage), or because the white morph does not fit the bird's search image of a typical monarch, so is thus avoided.[82]
Parasites include the tachinid flies Sturmia convergens[83] and Lespesia archippivora. Lesperia-parasitized butterfly larvae complete the formation of their crysalid but die before they emerge as an adult. Before pupation is complete, one white maggot comes out of the chrysalid. The maggot forms a brown pupa on the ground then emerges as an adult.[84]
The bacterium Micrococcus flacidifex danai also infects larvae. Just before pupation, the larvae migrate to a horizontal surface and die a few hours later, attached only by one pair of prolegs, with the thorax and abdomen hanging limp. The body turns black shortly after. The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa has no invasive powers, but causes secondary infections in weakened insects. It is a common cause of death in laboratory-reared insects.[84]
The protozoan Ophryocystis elektroscirrha is another parasite of the monarch. It infects the subcutaneous tissues and propagates by spores formed during the pupal stage. The spores are found over all of the body of infected butterflies, with the greatest number on the abdomen. These spores are passed, from female to caterpillar, when spores rub off during egg-laying and are then ingested by caterpillars. Severely infected individuals are weak, unable to expand their wings, or unable to eclose, and have shortened lifespans, but parasite levels variy in populations. This is not the case in laboratory rearing, where after a few generations, all individuals can be infected.[85] Infection with this parasite creates an effect known as culling whereby migrating monarchs that are infected are less likely to complete the migration. This results in overwintering populations with lower parasite loads.[86]
Confusion of host plants[edit]
The black swallow-wort (Cynanchum louiseae) and pale swallow-wort (Cynanchum rossicum) plants are problematic for monarchs in North America. Monarchs lay their eggs on these relatives of native vining milkweed (Cynanchum laeve) because they produce stimuli similar to milkweed. Once the eggs hatch, the caterpillars are poisoned by the toxicity of this invasive plant from Europe.[87]
Population decline[edit]
Populations counts show a decline in Monarch populations at their overwintering sites. Though most researchers accept these data it has currently come into question.[88]
The yearly decrease in the monarch butterfly population has been linked to the decrease in the milkweed plant (Asclepias)—a primary food for monarchs—from herbicide use in the butterfly's reproductive and feeding areas. The destruction of common milkweed has effectively eliminated the food source from most of the habitat monarchs used to use.[89] Common milkweed is susceptible to the use of herbicides. Varietals do exist, however, (see Human Interactions) that can be successfully planted in gardens and other areas to help mitigate habitat loss in the wild.[90]
Habitat loss due to herbicide use[edit]
Conservationists attribute the disappearance of mikweed speices to agricultural practices in the Midwest, where genetically modified seeds are bred to resist herbicides that eliminate milkweed nearby. Growers eliminate milkweed that previously grew between the rows of food crops. Corn and soybeans are resistant to the effect of the herbicide glyphosate. The increased use of these crop strains is correlated with the decline in Monarch populations between 1999 and 2010.[91][92] Chip Taylor, director of Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas, said the Midwest milkweed habitat "is virtually gone" with 120–150 million acres lost.[89][93] To help fight this problem, Monarch Watch encourages the planting of "Monarch Waystations".[68]
A letter published in Nature proposed that pollen from genetically modified maize could deposit onto larval food plants, Asclepias spp. (milkweed), increasing mortality of the larva.[94]
Loss of overwintering habitat[edit]
The area of forest occupied has been declining and reached its lowest level in two decades in 2013. The decline is continuing but is expected to increase during the 2013–2014 season.
Mexican environmental authorities continue to monitor illegal logging of the oyamel trees. The Oyamel is a major species of evergreen on which the overwintering butterflies spend a significant time during their winter diapause, or suspended development.[95]
Climate variations during the fall and summer affect butterfly reproduction. Rainfall, and freezing temperatures affect milkweed growth. Omar Vidal, director general of WWF-Mexico, said "The monarch's lifecycle depends on the climatic conditions in the places where they breed. Eggs, larvae and pupae develop more quickly in milder conditions. Temperatures above 95°F can be lethal for larvae, and eggs dry out in hot, arid conditions, causing a drastic decrease in hatch rate." [96]
The monarch was the first butterfly to have its genome sequenced.[6]:(p12) The 273-million base pair draft sequence includes a set of 16,866 protein-coding genes. The genome provides researchers insights into migratory behavior, the circadian clock, juvenile hormone pathways and microRNAs that are differentially expressed between summer and migratory monarchs.[97][98][99] More recently, the genetic basis of monarch migration and warning coloration has been described.[100]
There is no genetic differentiation between the migratory populations of eastern and western North America.[6]:(p16) Recent research has identified the specific areas in the genome of the monarch that regulate migration. There appears to be no genetic difference between a migrating and nonmigrating monarch but the gene is expressed in migrating monarchs but not expressed in nonmigrating monarchs.[21]
The Center for Biological Diversity, The Center for Food Safety, The Xerces Society and Lincoln Brower have filed a petition to the United States Department of the Interior to protect the monarch by having it declared an endangered species.[6]
Conservationists are lobbying transportation departments and utilities to reduce their use of herbicides and specifically encourage milkweed to grow along roadways and power lines. Reducing roadside mowing and application of herbicides during the butterfly breeding season will encourage milkweed growth. Conservationists lobby agriculture companies to set aside areas that remain unsprayed to allow the butterflies to breed.[92] Butterfly gardening is thought to increase the populations of butterflies.[101]
See also[edit]
- Lepidoptera migration
- Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
- Peninsula Point Light, Michigan
- Butterfly house (conservatory)
- Lepidoptera
- Butterflies
- Viceroy butterfly
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Viceroys are as unpalatable as monarchs, and significantly more unpalatable than queens from representative Florida populations.
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External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Danaus plexippus. |
Wikispecies has information related to: Danaus plexippus |
Wikisource has original text related to this article: |
- Monarch Butterfly Migration of 1973 Roosting Behavior on Martha's Vineyard
- Monarch Lab at the University of Minnesota
- Monarch Joint Venture – Partnering Across the U.S. to Conserve the Monarch Butterfly Migration
- Wild for Monarchs – Wild Ones campaign to help people create monarch habitat
- Monarch website of The Reppert Laboratory at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
- Australian Museum fact sheet on Monarch butterflies
- Monarch Migration Maps
- USGS description of Monarch butterfly
- Monarch Health
- Monarch butterfly on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures website
- Monarch, Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility
- PBS NOVA Documentary "The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies"
- Watch a Monarch egg hatch
- MonarchBase
- Monarch on Jeff's Nature Pages
- the Amazing Monarch
- Danaus (genus)
- Lepidoptera of North America
- Butterflies of Canada
- Butterflies of the United States
- Insects of Mexico
- Insects of Hawaii
- Fauna of the California chaparral and woodlands
- Animal migration
- Plants and pollinators
- Pollinators
- Warning coloration
- Lepidoptera of Europe
- Symbols of West Virginia
- Insects described in 1758
- Endangered fauna of California
- Insects with sequenced genomes

subset: commoncrawl


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Solari Brigadier
Senior Member
Not really a bug, but directed camera loved following Lee Sin jungle in the one game I watched. Even if there was a skirmish in top lane or gank getting ready to happen in bot, directed camera would be happily watching Lee Sin run into his own Wraith camp and beat them up.
Do you want it
Junior Member
sry I m Chinese,I like this game,ang I find a big bug.Everyone can use the tool to modify the Masterpage.and everyone have 30ad or 30ap in game beginning.I have picture,but i dont know how to upload.and i dont know how to post....so sry
Two bugs I have consistently noticed: 1) When a game I am spectating fully loads and I am now viewing the game, my cursor is restricted to the bottom right quadrant of my screen and I cannot move it outside of that box. This problem is solved by alt+tabbing out and back in. 2) When a game I have been spectating finishes, my CPU kicks up to around 50% when it is normally around 5% to 10% when just the League client is open (at Home screen). This issue occurs at least half the time. I solve the problem by restarting my computer. Restarting the client does not seem to fix the issue.
One pretty big bug I found, if you run borderless mode and start spectator mode and then alt-tab out while its loading, the game will load with the top left corner of the game in the middle of your screen instead of at the correct location as seen in this screenshot: Screenshot there is no way to fix this other than exiting and restarting
Larrik Jaerico
I joined a featured game, and was watching the jungler, but the jungle creeps were invisible the first time the jungler fought them. It was weird. One time, one of the creeps was transparent as if he was stealthed.
Okay what about a delay in spectate mode? Is it still 3 minutes?
3 things that don't work As a spectator I can: -see both teams failed surrender votes and tell my friends in the game, even if it's 3 minutes late it's still relevant information. -call out every shrooms that Teemo puts down, even if it's 3 minutes late, it might prevent someone from dying on a shrooms after fleeing from a close fight. -give my friends in game the timer on a creep like Baron or Dragon if the enemy team got it. I suppose making the delay 5 minutes would work to counter those flaws but I have a feeling there is a reason why you guys at Riot decided to stick with the 3 minutes mark. Is there? Could you reply to this thread/question please? Other than that, spectator mode is AWESOME!!!
Not bugs but feedback - it would be nice for it to be clearer who got dragon, I can't tell if a steal was successful or not as all I see is the gold amount displayed - making the text for the gold purple or blue might help. I'd really like to be able to disable pings/ping sounds for spectator mode without turning off other sound effects, they are constant in the featured games I've watched so far and it's really annoying. Also, the new settings don't seem to save from game to game - I have to turn on chat and turn off fog of war each time I open a new game.
The game doesn't seem to be locking your cursor to your screen in spectator mode. Very annoying, I can't scroll right now because it just moves my muose to the second monitor.
Toaru Baka
I can't seem to receive messages from friends if i'm inside spectator mode. But once I get out of spec mode I can see their messages. Also, I can send them from spec mode, just not receive. looks great though!!


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Posted: Aug 4, 2012 12:19 AM
Updated: Aug 4, 2012 12:19 AM
The Packers signed punter Tim Masthay to a contract extension, the team officially announced Friday afternoon. The deal, which was first reported by NFL.com, is reportedly for four years and $5.465 million and includes a $1.2 million signing bonus.
At an average salary of $1.366 million, Masthay becomes the 15th highest paid punter. Masthay's 2012 base salary of $540,000 remains the same but will increase to $765,000 in 2013, $900,000 in 2014, $1 million in 2015 and $1.2 million in 2016, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He'll also get a $100,000 workout bonus in each year of the new deal.
Since signing with the Packers in January 2010, Masthay has solidified a position that for years was a weak spot in Green Bay. Nicknamed the "Ginger Wolverine" by his teammates, Masthay set franchise records for gross and net punting averages last season with 45.6 and 38.6-yard averages respectively.
Special teams coach Shawn Slocum told the Journal Sentinel: "[Masthay's] mechanics are very sound right now, the best that they've been since I've been around him. His drop, his footwork, his body position, his eyes. He's hitting the ball well. Very solid."
With the deal, the Packers have both Masthay and kicker Mason Crosby (five-year, $14.75 million contract signed in 2011) locked up through 2016.


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Everyone likes to have choices. This is especially true when it comes to student travel! At Adventure Student Travel we understand the importance of being able to choose what you want to experience during your educational tour or your graduation trip. Since our creation back in 1998, our company has been dedicated to offering student
Over the past several years, a few destinations have emerged as the most-popular destinations for student tours and senior class trips. Each location has plenty to offer groups who want to visit. Without question the most-popular destination for educational tour groups is Washington DC. With all of the monuments, memorials, and museums it is easy


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Frequently Asked Questions
We have accumulated a few of the most common questions that we receive from our visitors, volunteers and friends. If you have a question and do not see it listed below, you may call (662) 841-6438 or contact us at any time.
- We are open to the public year round. Tuesday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. until 4 p.m. On Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. We are closed on Sunday, Monday, and Federal Holidays.
- Adults - $3
- Senior Citizens - $2
- Children 3-12 - $1.50
- Children 3 and under –Free
- For groups of 10 or more, we charge a $1 admission fee per person.
- Yes. You may contact Museum staff at (662) 841-6438 to schedule a guided tour. Groups of 10 or more receive the $1 admission fee. Admission is free for teachers and bus drivers. There is a $2 admission fee for accompanying parents. Please call to schedule tours at least one full week in advance.
- Our physical address is 689 Rutherford Road, Tupelo, MS 38801. We are located on the east side of Ballard Park, which can be found off of West Main Street or Highway 6 West.
Click here to get Directions. - Yes. The museum building is handicapped accessible, complete with ramps and ADA-required door clearance. There are public restrooms within Ballard Park that are handicapped accessible, also. The Dogtrot house, Sparks Church and School, and the Grist Mill each have ramps leading up to the buildings for easy access.
- The Oren Dunn City Museum provides several annual events throughout the year. Each year we host the Dudie Burger Festival, History Makers Museum Summer Camps, Dogtrot Rockabilly Festival, and the Holiday Open House and Lighting of the Museum. We provide annual exhibits such as the Black History Month Exhibit & the Annual Holiday exhibit. Please see the Events Calendar for specific programming and dates.
- The Museum is proud to host birthday parties, weddings, reunions, and a wonderful collection to use as backdrops for amateur and professional photographs. Ballard Park has picnic areas, playgrounds, a walking track around the lake, as well as many sporting facilities. For more information, see the Tupelo Park & Recreation's website.
- Objects, archives, or photographs depicting the region's history may be donated. If you are interested in donating an item(s) to the museum, contact the Curator at (662) 841-6438 or use our contact form.
- The Oren Dunn City Museum houses an eclectic blend of the region's history from fossils to our incorporation in 1870 and to the present. Please see the website's Home Page for a more extensive listing and the Photo Gallery for various items within the collection.
- There are two ways to become involved: 1) volunteer your time and expertise; 2) become a Friend of the Museum. The Friends of the Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, which supports the museum's programming and restoration projects of the museum's collection. Click here for the Friend's Membership Brochure.
What are your days & hours of operation?
What are your admission prices?
Do you have a group rate?
Do you provide guided tours?
Where are you located?
Are you handicapped accessible?
What special events do you have?
What other amenities are available?
How do I donate items to the Museum?
What is in your collection?
How can I become involved?


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Lenses / Re: Buy Canon 24-70l II today or wait for Newer version with IS?
« on: December 19, 2012, 10:56:35 PM »
Waiting for something that will never happen. I am sure the smart Japanese guys at canon tried to make this work with IS but for what ever reason they couldn't. Either the price target was too high, or they couldn't do it and also shave the weight. My money is on the latter. But don't worry the world has a stabilized 24-70 2.8, it's a tamron and its a cracker! When, or better if, this rumored lens arrives it will be priced at $3000 or more.


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Mandaric: Foxes stars are staying put
Defender Jack Hobbs, goalkeeper Chris Weale and leading scorer Matty Fryatt have reportedly attracted attention, the latter in particular has been the subject of speculation that Wigan are poised to swoop for the 12-goal striker. But Mandaric insists he would not be sold and the City owner has pledged to fund any January signings out of his own pocket if manager Nigel Pearson identifies a top transfer target. "We are not selling any of our players who are contributing this season," Mandaric told the Leicester Mercury. "Nigel will be the first to say he doesn't want to just accumulate players because he does have good players already. But if there is a real need and a player is available and then Nigel says he must really have that player, then there will be no problem. I would support him 100%. I would have to put my hands in my pocket but I already do that. "He wouldn't come to me and say he had to have a certain player just for the sake of it. I know that if he asked it would be because he genuinely needed that player. Then I would be there."
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Sizes of a white pre lit Christmas tree range just like any other evergreen replica. From tiny trees to decorate tables and desks to the large trees that will be skimming your vaulted ceilings, a tree to fit your space will be easy to find. The wiring and bulb placement on your white pre lit Christmas tree are made to blend as much as possible so the tree has a natural shape without a bunch of bulky cords and wires distracting eyes from your amazing decorating techniques.


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Rosenbaum, S., Stewart, A., Cox, M., and Lee, A. (2003) The Epidemiology of U.S. Immunization Law: Medicaid Coverage of Immunization for Non-Institutionalized Adults. Washington, DC: Center for Health Services Research and Policy, George Washington University.
Schur, C. L., and Feldman, J. 2001. Running in Place: How Job Characteristics, Immigrant Status, and Family Structure Keep Hispanics Uninsured. New York: The Project HOPE Center for Health Affairs and the Commonwealth Fund.
Schwalberg, R., Zimmerman, B., Mohamadi, L., Giffen, M., and Anderson Mathis, S. (2001). Medicaid Coverage of Family Planning Services: Results of a National Survey. Washington, DC: The Kaiser Family Foundation.
Semansky, R., and Koyanagi, C. (2004). Obtaining child mental health services through Medicaid: The experience of parents in two states. Psychiatric Services, 55, 24–25.
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text: COVER GIRL: Cynthia Rowley and her husband, gallerist Bill Powers, are known to have an affinity for contemporary art. It comes as little surprise, then, that the two are well-known figures in the auction world — so much so they're featured on the cover of Phillips de Pury & Co.'s latest "Saturday@Phillips" auction catalogue. Rowley and Powers are participating in the auctioneers "Tastemaker" series, discussing their favorite artworks. They were photographed at their West Village townhouse by Dean Kaufman enjoying cookies at their dining table — the hand and cookie popping up through the table belonging to their nine-year old daughter, Kit. The catalogue goes on sale Wednesday.


text: An ASLAN original that is truly multipurpose and very sexy. This Bondage Belt appears at first as an attractive heavy leather belt with solid hardware. But when you thread it in a figure eight, it can be used as wrist, ankle or neck restraint. Wear it out on the town, then use it for some hot bondage fun when the desire hits you. Made with nickel-plated steel. Shown here with the Handy Cuff. Fits up to waist 44".