Monarchs in New Zealand

[MJS323]

On the subject of Monarchs being protected from predators due to bad taste,
there have been several papers presented at the annual meetings of the
Lepidopterists' Society that show that Monarchs can get different degrees of
toxin from different species of Milkweeds, thus possibly giving them different
degrees of effective predation protection.  It is also possible that individual
Milkweeds have differing amounts of toxins at different times due to climatical
factors.  Much as you said, my understanding is that the Monarch is the mimic
for the Viceroy, but my understanding was also that the Queen was the mimic for
the Viceroy forms that occur in southern Arizona, Texas, and Florida due to the
greater numbers of Queens than Monarchs there.  The Queen also eats Milkweeds
as larvae and should have the same protection.  It is also possible that some
bird species may be more tolerant of the Monarch's toxins, such as the
Kingbirds observed.  From I have heard, it is a fairly complex process and
definitely not an all or nothing situation.  The Monarch people probably have
more knowledge here than I do.

Mike Smith