Friday, 04 March 2016 16:44

Gran Canaria's Biggest Butterfly Is One Of The Worlds Great Migrants

The Monarch butterfly is native to Gran Canaria The Monarch butterfly is native to Gran Canaria www.photosgrancanaria.com

Gran Canaria's biggest butterfly, the Monarch, is from the USA but colonised the Canary Islands by flying across the Atlantic Ocean and is now a resident.

Also known as the wanderer, the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is famous for its long migration between Mexico, the US and Canada. They are strong enough to fly across the Atlantic Ocean have been found all over the world.

Monarchs have orange and black wings up to 12 centimetres across and are much bigger than any other Canarian butterfly (except the rare African monarch).

In the Canary Islands, Monarchs are permanent inhabitants rather than migrants; Their caterpillars, which eat milkweed plants in the US, feed off an endemic Canarian succulent called Ceropegia. 

Monarchs are the only American species that has colonised the Canary Islands naturally.

Monarchs are common in Gran Canaria parks and gardens and are attracted to colourful flowers. Their poisonous caterpillars are covered in yellow, black and white stripes. 

Alex says: Monarch butterflies are rare migrants in Europe and most of the ones that make it are though to come from the Canary Islands rather than from America.

Published in Alternative Tourism

Join the Gran Canaria Info newsletter list

endanlfifrdeisitnoplptruessv

 

 

Follow us on Facebook

Tip of the day

  • The Parafarmacia In Gran Canaria Is Not A Chemist!
    The Parafarmacia In Gran Canaria Is Not A Chemist!

    If there is one thing we hate it is visitors being tricked in Gran Canaria. In the past we've warned about overcharging at Gran Canaria chemists, and rip off electronics shops in resorts. 

    In this Tip Of The Day we return to the island's chemists or rather, to the island's fake chemists.

    A chemist in Gran Canaria is called a Farmacia and always has a green cross sign. Farmacias are the only place tobuy medicine in Spain, even basics like paracetamol.

    However, there is another kind of shop in Gran Canaria that looks and sounds like a chemist but doesn't sell medicine. This is the Parafarmacia and it also uses a green cross sign.

    A parafarmacia is a herbal medicine shop that is not allowed to sell any normal medicine such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or antibiotics. 

    Instead, parafarmacias sell herbal alternatives to medicine but don't have to prove that they work and they can charge whatever they want.

    We recently heard from a visitor to Gran Canaria who went into a parafarmacia and was charged 40 euros for a herbal alternative to Ibuprofen. It was only when they read the label that they realised what had happened. 

    To locate a genuine farmacia, see this website and search within your municipio (Puerto Rico is in Mogán, Playa del Inglés is in San Bartolomé de Tirajana). At weekends and on fiesta days many farmacias close but there is always one open, known as the farmacia de guardia, in each municipio.

    Search for the nearest one to you with this tool

    Lex Says: To keep costs down, see this article for the way to ask for generic medicine rather than expensive branded alternatives. 

Latest articles

Who's Online

We have 7479 guests and no members online

Login / Register

Take this website to the max, login or create an account now! By clicking on any Social Media platform logo, you can login with just one click.