Monarch Butterfly

With its distinctive orange and black markings, the monarch butterfly is the most famous of North American butterflies, best known for its long migrations.

No single butterfly survives the journey. Instead, it takes four generations of butterflies to travel south to southern California and Mexico to winter in warmer climates. There, they roost by the thousands, sometimes covering trees. In the spring, they begin the long migration back up to the United States and Canada.

The monarch butterfly is the official state butterfly of Alabama, Minnesota, Vermont and West Virginia.

Print and Fold a Monarch Butterfly Origami:

Difficulty: Easy

Directions: Follow the same directions as below.

1a. Print and cut out image along outer solid lines.

2a. With printed side facing down,

2b. Fold in half along diagonal line.

2c. Unfold and repeat the diagonal fold on other side.

3a. With printed side facing up,

3b. Fold in half along horizontal line.

3c. Unfold. Your paper should be creased as illustrated.

4. Carefully fold along creases, forming a "tent" as illustrated.

5a. Fold the right "tent" corner up along line A, as illustrated.
5b. Fold the left "tent" corner up along line B, as illustrated.

6a. Turn butterfly over, printed side down.
6b. Fold down along line C.
6c. Pinch or crease in center as illustrated.

Your monarch butterfly is ready to fly!

©2010 Tammy Yee
All rights reserved.