Question: How does Mrs. DeLand know the monarch is a male?

Answer: Here's the easiest way, says monarch biologist Dr. Karen Oberhauser: "Males have a small spot on the inside surface of their hindwings that is not present in females. These dots are made of specialized scales that, in some butterflies, emit a chemical used in courtship. Even though this chemical does not appear to be important in monarch courtship, the males still have the spots. The spots are much larger on close relatives of monarchs. (Females also tend to look slightly darker than males, and have slightly wider wing veins.)"

• Try This! Compare the wings of a male and female monarch. >>

This monarch picture was a bit tricky. It's hard to see the black dot when the the wings are closed! If you look carefully on most males you can see the spot faintly even when the wings are closed.

• Take a closer look...>>

Here are some of the students' answers. Thank you to the 60+ people who responded to this question. Great wing watching, everybody!

• "We know that the Monarch Mrs. DeLand saw in her garden was a male because it has two scent spots on its hind wings," wrote Ms. Fiedler's students in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.
• Answers sent by Mrs. Wetherington's 5th grade students in Moultrie, Georgia showed that they looked very carefully at the monarch and tried to solve the problem through observation alone. This is how good science is done. The students thoughts maybe:
  • the male's legs are thicker than a female,or
  • by the design on its body OR
  • by how many spots it has OR
  • the male is lighter in color OR
  • the male monarch may be larger than the female OR
  • particular way of eating or flying OR
  • its veins are bigger....
  • and other ideas.

• Take a closer look...