I am not a biologist but to my knowledge they do not exist in Africa and are primarily in America and Australia. Most places in Africa are suitable for their survival. If they can be domesticated in Africa the only suitable place is Southern Africa where weather and habitat enhance their survival. 

Dear Aline

There are two species)of monarch butterflies : Danaus chrysippus aegyptius ( The African Monarch) and Danaus plexippus plexippus (The monarch). The first species meets in Africa in Cameroon and in other countries of the continent. They can domesticated. It is necessary to have plants of the family of Asclapiadaceae. In Reunion island, Danaus chrysippus aegyptius lives on Asclepias and Gomphocarpus.

Best regards.

Yannis

Dear Aline,

in our database at nkis.info, we have data of D. plexippus from Portugal, Spain and the Canary Islands, so it is quite probable, that ist also can be found in NW-Africa. The African Monarch D. chrysippus is represented with data from the Canary Islands, Senegal, Egypt and Mauritius. This latter species is undoubtedly better suited for "domestication" in Africa, since it is not a foreign element. But butterflies are free ! They will only stay at a place, if food plants for the larvae and favourable conditions for the imagines, including flowers for nectaring, are present. Luckily, not only the larvae feed on Asclepias, but also the imagines suck nectar from these plants (I have observed them on Asclepias curassavica and A. fruticosa).

Best regards

Michael

Dear Aline,

I have seen the Monarch (presumably Danaus plexippus) in both the Western Algarve, Portugal and in Madeira.  I had always thought they were not migratory in Europe, but that is just my opinion.  I have observed the larvae in the Algarve region of Portugal feeding on Gomphocarpus fruiticosus (Asclepiadaceae) growing on river banks.

There is a bit more information here http://www.first-nature.com/insects/lepidoptera/danaus-plexippus.php .

Best regards,

Peter.

Does the questioner mean the North/Cenrtal American monarch Danaus plexippus, or does she mean any related species to this, including other members of the family Danaidae? The family is usually referred to in English as milkweed butterflies, but I believe that some writers have also used the word monarch butterflies for the whole of the family.

There is a considerable literature on the African golden monarch Danaus chrysippus, including a recently published book by David Smith. My recollection is that is very widespread in subSaharan Africa.

At my knowledge, the African monarch (Danaus chrysippus) does not show any significant migratory behaviour.

Since the American monarch (Danaus plexippus) may be found throughout the American continent, the populations living in tropical areas do not migrate as well...

I agree with Pierre Zagatti, about the behaviour of D. chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758). 

Here in Brazil we have Danaus plexippus erippus (Cramer, [1776]) a non migratory species (restricted to South America). It feeds on Asclepiadaceae species (now included in Apocynaceae) mainly on Asclepias curassavica L. and Calotropis procera  (Ait.) R. Br. (African Milkweed). Other Asclepiadaceae can be ate, including vines.

There are other two species in the New World: Danaus plexippus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758), (the migratory, North America) and also D. plexippus megalippe  (Hübner, [1826]) (North of South America and Central America).

American species of Dannaus can achieve Europe and Africa (carried by air currents) but I  believe that they can not be established due to environmental differences.

Dannaus chrysippus  is a typical species of the entire tropical belt of Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia, but also present in the Palaearctic region: Algeria, Morocco and Egypt. This is a migratory species that has colonized southern Greece, southern Italy, the Canary Islands and the Azores. Lately this species of monarch butterfly has established itself in the center of Spain.

Almost everything has been said:-) D: chrysippus is quite common in Africa - and the distribution is known also from southern Europe, southern Turkey, Middle East etc...

Monarch (D. plexippus) is known mainly from Americas, but local colonies are known from C. Island and western cost of N. Africa and S. Europe.

The interesting thing is, that the host plant (milkweed - Asclepias syriaca) is very common invasive species in southeastern and south of Central Europe. Thus - there is chance for introduction of Monarch into Europe. I was thinking about this - but it has never happened:-)

Good luck:-)

Marek

How nice of all you who provided exhaustive answers to my question. I am very happy with your individual answers. A zillion thanks for your efforts and I pray that those who made this RG tool available for use by scientists in the world will be rewarded abundantly. You can now be taught by someone mile away from you, Great! Aline

Hi.

In the Canary Islands (e.g. on Tenerife Island) we can see easily Danaus plexippus, but more rarely D. chrysippus. The first species is firmly established here, and you can see it breeding in e.g. Asclepias curassavica plants cultivated in gardens or edges of roads, but also in Gomphocarpus fruticosus and Gossypium arboreum. The African Monarch is found only in some places, but it can be locally common. This last species normally use different plant species of the family Asclepiadaceae for breeding. 

On the other hand, in the Cape Verde Islands there are very good populations of the African Monarch, where it uses to breed many times the plant Calotropis procera, also of the family Asclepiadaceae. 

Hi Aline,

Monarch butterfly is (as I know) Danaus plexippus. Do You mean this species? Or also African Monarch (Danaus chrysippus)?. Monarch is, I guess, rare in Africa - recorded mainly outside of continental Africa (Macaronesia). Records from the north-west cost are known as well. D. chrysippus is more common and it lives (as several subspecies) accroos Africa. Other species of Milkweed butterflies (Danaidae) should be more common in tropical Africa (however, this is only my personal opinion:-).

I think, it is not necessary to introduce butterfly species to the tropics:-) Better should be to use (show) local species - which might be also attractive to tourism:-)

Marek

The true Monarch, Danaus plexippus plexippus, is unknown from continental Africa south of the Sahara. The only Danaus species native to continental Africa is Danaus chrysippus chrysippus, which is generally common and widespread. Other milkweed butterflies in Africa belong to the genera Tirumala and Amauris.

With regard to the deliberate introduction or translocation of tropical butterflies from one region of the tropics or subtropics to othes, in this case say from the Americas to Africa, there are many arguments as to why this is not only unnecessary but  also undesirable, even unwise. The recent arrival in the New World of the SE Asian Lime Butterfly, Papilio demoleus, is a case in point -- most probably due to a 'wedding release' of commercially reared specimens. I urge that all those interested in this topic read:

Boppré, M. & Vane-Wright, R.I. 2012. The Butterfly House Industry: conservation risks and opportunities. Conservation & Society 10(3): 285–303.

This paper is in an open access journal, and can also be downloaded direct from Research Gate.

A zillion thanks to Dick and Marek for this update in ecology and importation of non native species. I was fascinated by the trajectory and pathway recognition by the multi- generation progenies of the american Monarch but I now understand this behaviour can be traced among the African counterparts. Very informative contributions. Gracias

Ruben thanks for this insight on African Monarch in the Cape Verde Island which is relatively nearer me even though it will be easier for me to travel to Europe and America from Port Harcourt than to go to Cape Verde. Are there research groups working on any of the African species.