By Philip Devlin
(September 24, 2025) — My sister, Marilyn (Devlin) Ganahl of Lincoln, Vermont, has been raising and releasing Monarch butterflies for years. Last night she reported a milestone moment:
“I have a milestone moment tonight—in my nine years of raising monarchs, I have probably released about 8,000 butterflies. This is my first very rare white Monarch.”
According to my sister, here are the key characteristics of the very rare white monarch:
Appearance: The white monarch exhibits grayish-white areas on its wings where orange would normally be, with the typical dark veins still present.
Rarity: White monarchs are exceptionally uncommon in most populations, with only a few reported sightings globally each year.
Origin: The white color is due to a genetic mutation called nivosus, which affects the butterfly’s ability to synthesize normal orange pigment.
Vulnerability: The white color does not offer the same warning signal to birds as the traditional orange and black, which indicates that the butterfly may be toxic. This makes them more susceptible to prey.
Photos courtesy of Marilyn Ganahl
