Category: Show What You Know

Show What You Know Quiz: Monarch butterflies were successfully reared where in 2009?

A Death Valley
B International Space Station
C South Pole

The eggs of two different butterfly species, painted ladies and monarchs, were sent to the ISS in the fall of 2009, and both hatched in the craft’s Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus. On November 29 of that year, ISS commander Jeff Williams beamed video of the first of several monarchs that had emerged from their cocoons. ‘It’s always beautiful to see a little bit of Earth up here,’ Williams said.

The correct answer is International Space Station.

Show What You Know Quiz: Female monarchs lay their eggs exclusively on which plant?

A Milkweed
B Sunflowers
C Marigolds

Monarch butterflies and milkweed have a symbiotic relationship. The insects lay their eggs on no other kind of plant, and once the larvae hatch into caterpillars they rely solely on milkweed for nourishment. In exchange, the butterflies are milkweed’s main pollinators.

The correct answer is Milkweed.