Monarch butterflies are large, colorful insects known for their striking orange and black wings. They belong to the family Nymphalidae and are found primarily in North America. These butterflies are famous for their long migrations, traveling thousands of miles from their breeding grounds in the United States and Canada to their wintering sites in Mexico. The life cycle of a monarch butterfly includes four stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult. Monarch caterpillars feed on milkweed, which provides them with toxins that make them unpalatable to predators. This unique adaptation helps ensure their survival in the wild.