Which statement describes the role of the monarch butterfly in the food web?Algae are consumed by wood ducks and large-mouth bass. Wood ducks and large-mouth bass are consumed by red-tailed hawk. Grass is consumed by wood ducks and meadow voles. Wood ducks and meadow voles are consumed by red-tailed hawks. Milkweed is consumed by wood ducks and monarch butterflies. Wood ducks are consumed by red-tailed hawk. A. A secondary consumer that obtains its energy from the consumption of plants B. A primary producer that recycles organic molecules from sunlight C. A primary decomposer that recycles organic molecules by breaking them down D. A primary consumer that obtains its energy from the consumption of plants

The basis of a food web are the producers. They are called like that because they produce their own energy. In this case, the producers produce their own food through photosynthesis, and they are the algae, the grass and the milkweed. Monarch butterflies are not producers, therefore B is incorrect.

The consumers are the ones that need to consume food to acquire energy, because they can't produce it by themselves. They can eat producers, which makes them the primary consumers. They can also eat other consumers, which makes them the second consumers (if they eat a primary consumer), or third consumers (if they eat a secondary consumer), etc. As the secondary consumers eat primary consumers, and as monarch butterflies eat producers, we can also say that A is incorrect.

The decomposers are at the end of the food web, decomposing matter after the other individuals are dead. That's not the case for monarch butterflies, therefore, C is wrong too.

As the monarch butterflies feed on producers (milkweed), we can say that the correct answer is:

D. A primary consumer that obtains its energy from the consumption of plants