It’s not easy to tell from a distance or when they’re in flight but if you get close enough, here’s how to tell the male Monarch from a female Monarch… When the butterfly wings are open, a small black spot appears on one vein in the center of the hindwings on the male Monarch (left image) but not on the female Monarch (right image).
![male and female monarch wings with a black spot on the male wing](https://www.gardenswithwings.com/wp-content/uploads/n0809MonarchIndentification.jpg)
![orange and black monarch wing with black spot on wings](https://www.gardenswithwings.com/wp-content/uploads/MaleMonarchButterflyWings-1.jpg)