Monarch butterflies with more white spots on their mostly orange-and-black wings are more successful at long-distance migration. Some scientists think the spots may affect airflow around their wings.

Mid-sized among the fritillaries is the Atlantis fritillary with black on the wing edges, white spots beneath; it is at the ...

Monarch butterflies with more white spots on their mostly orange-and-black wings are more successful at long-distance migration. Some scientists think the spots may affect airflow around their wings.

Monarch butterflies with more white spots on their mostly orange-and-black wings are more successful at long-distance migration. Some scientists think the spots may affect airflow around their wings.

Monarch butterflies have distinctive orange-and-black wings with small white spots. And it's those spots that recently caught the attention of a group of scientists. As NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce ...

Monarch butterflies with more white spots on their mostly orange-and-black wings are more successful at long-distance migration. Some scientists think the spots may affect airflow around their wings.

The white spots on a monarch butterfly's wings may help it migrate, according to a new study. Photo by NPR - Pat Davis Think of a monarch butterfly, and a distinctive image pops up: black-and-orange ...