Alder Spittlebug vs Monarch

Aphrophora alni compared with Danaus plexippus

Key Differences

Alder Spittlebug is Least Concern while Monarch is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alder Spittlebug	Monarch
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Hemiptera (Hemiptera)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Aphrophoridae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Aphrophora	Danaus (Milkweed Butterflies)
Species	Aphrophora alni	Danaus plexippus

Evolutionary Relationship

Alder Spittlebug and Monarch share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

View Class: Insecta

Conservation Status

Alder Spittlebug

LC — Least Concern

Monarch

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alder Spittlebug	Monarch
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	5 cm
Average Weight	—	0 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alder Spittlebug

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

Monarch

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (8 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Colombia).

Alder Spittlebug

The Alder Spittlebug (Aphrophora alni) is a species in the genus Aphrophora. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Monarch

One of the world's most remarkable migratory insects, monarch butterflies undertake multigenerational round-trip migrations of up to 4,800 km between breeding grounds in northern North America and overwintering sites in Mexican mountain forests. Brilliant orange and black wings warn predators of toxicity derived from milkweed plants consumed as caterpillars. Endangered, with overwintering populations having declined by over 80% since the 1990s due to milkweed habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.