Black-Veined White vs Monarch

Aporia crataegi compared with Danaus plexippus

Key Differences

• Black-Veined White is Endangered while Monarch is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black-Veined White	Monarch
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order same	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Pieridae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Aporia	Danaus (Milkweed Butterflies)
Species	Aporia crataegi	Danaus plexippus

Evolutionary Relationship

Black-Veined White and Monarch share a common ancestor at the Order level: Lepidoptera. (Butterflies & Moths)

Conservation Status

Black-Veined White

EN — Endangered

Monarch

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black-Veined White	Monarch
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	5 cm
Average Weight	—	0 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black-Veined White

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 9 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Asia (Cyprus) and Europe (39 countries). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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).

Black-Veined White

Black-Veined White (Aporia crataegi) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 8 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇪🇸 Spain 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇬🇧 United Kingdom