Chapter One Federal Government - Minnesota State Legislature

Chapter
Seven
Legacy
Kent Kaiser photograph
Chapter Seven Legacy
State Butterfly
The monarch
butterfly (Danaus
plexippus), also
known as the
milkweed
butterfly, was
adopted as the
state’s official
butterfly in 1998.
The monarch is
one of the few
butterfly species
that migrates north
and south like
birds do.
Approximately
four generations
of monarchs are
born in Minnesota
each summer and
live roughly four
weeks; the
exception is the last generation of the season, which survives about six months. Each fall,
members of this last generation migrate to Mexico and spend the winter in a state of semi-hibernation.
Monarch caterpillars appear to feed exclusively on milkweed, which grows throughout
Minnesota. This male monarch (distinguishable from his female counterparts by the thin black
webbing throughout his wings and two highly visible black spots on his hind wings) was
photographed on Lake Superior’s north shore near Illgen City.
State Photograph
The photograph “Grace,” depicting an elderly man bowing his head and giving thanks, taken by
Eric Enstrom in 1918 in Bovey, Minnesota, was adopted as the official state photograph in 2002.
A copy of the photograph is on display in the secretary of state’s office in St. Paul.
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