Food
Herbivore
Monarch butterflies eat milkweed as caterpillars; nectar as adults.
Plant eater
HomeAnimals A–ZLetter MMonarch Butterfly
Monarch Butterfly Facts for Kids: M Is for Monarch Butterfly
Monarch butterflies have bright orange and black wings. Every fall, many fly all the way from Canada and the US to Mexico. Here are easy monarch butterfly facts for kids: what monarch butterflies eat, how big they grow, what a baby monarch butterfly is called and where monarch butterflies live. Read them out loud, try the quiz, then color the letter M.
Insecttype
Herbivorediet
Caterpillarbaby name
Fun facts
Fun Facts About Monarch butterflies
Two more true facts about the monarch butterfly that kids love. Tap the button to hear the name, then read each fact together.
Mm
Say “Monarch Butterfly”
Monarch Butterfly starts with the letter M. Clap once for each part of the word as you say it.
1
Did you know?
Monarchs fly up to 4,800 km (3,000 miles) to Mexico for winter.
2
One more fact
Milkweed makes them taste bad to birds.
Act it outMove like a monarch butterfly for ten seconds.
Spot the letterFind the letter M in “Monarch Butterfly”.
Ask a questionWhat would a monarch butterfly eat for breakfast?
Quick facts
Monarch Butterfly Facts at a Glance
Everything a curious kid wants to know about the monarch butterfly, in eight short cards.
Size
How big?
A monarch butterfly is wingspan about 10 cm (4 in).
Body sizeLife
How long?
Monarch butterflies live for about 2 to 6 weeks; up to 9 months for migrants.
LifespanBaby
Caterpillar
A baby monarch butterfly is called a caterpillar.
Baby nameGroup
Kaleidoscope
A group of monarch butterflies is called a kaleidoscope.
Group nameHabitat
Gardens
Monarch butterflies are found in North America and beyond.
Where they liveAnimal type
Insect
Monarch butterflies have bright orange and black wings. Every fall, many fly all the way from Canada and the US to Mexico.
Monarch Butterfly is an insectLetter
M is for monarch butterfly
Monarch Butterfly has 16 letters and starts with M.
Say: Monarch Butterfly
Quick quiz
Monarch Butterfly Quiz for Kids
A tiny game to check what stuck. Read the question out loud and let your little one tap the answer.
Question 1
Score: 0
Free download
Free printable
Monarch Butterfly Coloring Page: Letter M Worksheet
Done reading about the monarch butterfly? Print the free letter M sheet, say “M is for monarch butterfly” together and color the big letters. Great for circle time, morning work or a quiet afternoon at home.
1
Download the PDFOne click, no sign-up or email
2
Print at home or schoolFits US Letter and A4 paper
3
Color and traceBig letters and dotted tracing lines
Uppercase MLowercase mTracing practiceFind the M animals
Download Free PDF
3 pages, black & white
Questions
All FAQs
Monarch Butterfly Questions Kids Ask
Monarch butterflies eat milkweed as caterpillars; nectar as adults. That makes the monarch butterfly a herbivore, which means it is a plant eater.
A monarch butterfly is wingspan about 10 cm (4 in).
Monarch butterflies live for about 2 to 6 weeks; up to 9 months for migrants.
A baby monarch butterfly is called a caterpillar.
A group of monarch butterflies is called a kaleidoscope.
Monarch butterflies live in North America and beyond. Their favorite habitat is: gardens.
Yes. The monarch butterfly is an insect. Monarch butterflies have bright orange and black wings. Every fall, many fly all the way from Canada and the US to Mexico.
Monarch Butterfly starts with the letter M. Say it slowly and listen for the M sound at the start.
Keep exploring
All M animals
More Animals Like the Monarch Butterfly
Other M animals and more insects to read about next.
Mammal
Many monkeys use their long tails to help them balance as they leap through trees. Spider monkeys can even hang by their tails.
Lives in: Rainforests Read monkey factsMammal
Mice use their long whiskers to feel their way in the dark. Their front teeth never stop growing, so they chew a lot.
Lives in: Everywhere Read mouse factsInsect
Dung beetles roll animal poop into balls. Some can roll a ball much heavier than themselves.
Lives in: Grasslands Read dung beetle factsInsect
Velvet ants look like fuzzy ants, but they are really a kind of wasp. The females have a very painful sting, so look but don’t touch.
Lives in: Grasslands Read velvet ant facts