As milkweed grows, monarch spends her days drinking nectar and getting ready to lay her eggs. How to hunt, gather, and protect monarch eggs for raising. Milkweed books is located on the first floor of open book, the nations largest literary arts center. Asclepias curassavica butterfly gardens to go milkweed. Monarch and milkweed by helen frost and leonid gore. Common milkweed, otherwise known as asclepias syriaca, is a host plant for monarch butterflies. The resulting bflys fly north and lay eggs as they go. In the spring, they fly northward, stopping along the way to lay eggs. If you want to attract monarch butterflies, you can try to plant some milkweed, since thats the only thing their larvae eats.
As milkweed native habitats disappear, so do the butterflies. It takes three to five generations to repopulate the rest of the united states and southern canada until the final generation of the year hatches and does. Common milkweed seeds and plants for large butterfly gardens. It includes the daniadae, or milkweed butterflies, who lay their eggs on various milkweeds on which their larvae caterpillars feed, as well as the clearwing butterflies, and the tellervini. Asclepias curassavica tropical milkweed is also commonly known as mexican milkweed and blood flower. My reading indicates its a 3generation migration lay eggs, hatch, fly, lay eggs hatch fly, layeggshatchfly, and by now we would see them in the adirondacks. The monarch raising butterflieshow to find and care for. If you have lone firstyear milkweed plants that have seeded in your garden, those are also prime real estate for collecting treasured eggs. Once the cats eat the potted milkweeds, i take out the pot so it can regrow, then replace it with another potted milkweed. This starts stage one and generation one of the new year for the monarch butterfly. It showed a woman making her way through a previously unimaginable mass of monarch butterflies.
The oval eggs are about the size of the head of a pin large enough to be seen by the unaided eye. May 24, 2017 this magnificent mama monarch is making the most of midmay look carefully and you can see her abdomen curl up under her to deposit eggs on the undersides of the leaves. Planting the wrong kind of milkweed may harm monarch. This beautifully illustrated book details the symbiotic relationship between a milkweed plant and a monarch butterfly. It may be the most familiar north american butterfly, and is considered an iconic pollinator species. Asclepias syriaca is native to most of the us states that are east of the rocky mountains the western exception is.
A single female monarch can lay hundreds of eggs on the leaves of milkweed. In march and april the eggs are laid on milkweed plants. Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to the bright orange flowers of butterfly milkweed and feed on the nectar. Please plant milkweed to support monarch populations. Females lay their eggs on the underside of the milkweed leaves. Its the only plant caterpillars will eat, and its where the butterflies lay their eggs. Monarchs and milkweed the precarious cycle my altona forest.
Monarchs and milkweed the precarious cycle my altona. We believe that literature has the potential to change the way we see the world. I am new to rearing monarch butterflies i planted only 2 asclepias curassavica milkweed plants in early spring i wasnt counting on monarch butterflies to be laying eggs shortly after planting so i didnt look for eggs or caterpillars in the 2 milkweed plants till july,august after they grew 2. The monarchs never lay eggs on my milkweed after the first week of september. Milkweed is a broadleafed native plant that is used by monarchs as their only nursery. This milkweed species may be bad news for monarch butterflies. The caterpillars feast upon the milkweeds alkaloid sap, while the. Sep 01, 2010 monarch butterflies do not lay eggs on anything but the milkweed plant. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Apr 30, 2014 asclepias syriaca common milkweed and other native milkweeds such as butterfly milkweed and swamp milkweed above are equally monarchfriendly. Flowers are followed by long, narrow seed pods 34 long which split open when ripe releasing silky tailed seeds for dispersal by wind. Alma and her family live a life close to the landthen, one night, she abruptly leaves it all behind.
Plant milkweed for monarchs home us forest service. Monarch butterflies depend on the milkweed to survive, but. Milkweed plants serve monarch butterflies in several ways, from being the ideal home. Monarch caterpillars need milkweed plants asclepias sp. How to raise monarch butterflies book instant download. Yes, monarchs danaus plexippus almost exclusively lay their eggs on the leaves of milkweed plants asclepias sp. A single female monarch can lay hundreds of eggs on the leaves of milkweed the only food source for the insect in its larval stage. It includes the daniadae, or milkweed butterflies, who lay their eggs on various milkweeds on which their larvae caterpillars feed, as well as the clearwing butterflies, and the tellervini some 300 species of danainae exist worldwide.
With shifting land management practices, we have lost much milkweed from the landscape. Asclepias syriaca is native to most of the us states that are east of the rocky. Oct 18, 2012 like most butterflies, monarchs experience four stages in their month long life cycles egg, larva, pupa and adult. Nov 26, 2006 if you want to attract monarch butterflies, you can try to plant some milkweed, since thats the only thing their larvae eats. Peekaboo metamorphosis watch the chrysalis as the pupa changes from the body parts of a caterpillar into the body parts of a butterfly. Moving and darkly funny, this is an ambitious debut about technology, capitalism, motherhood, and the search for meaningful art, at once a. Thats when monarchs lay their eggs, and their life cycle begins. In 1999, milkweed could be found in half of all the corn and. The growers exchange wants to encourage our gardening friends to set aside a sunny space in their gardens to help these majestic butterflies thrive and slow the decline of their population. The entire lifecycle of the monarch butterfly is dependent on the milkweed. This has proven disastrous for the travelling butterflies, who eat milkweed as caterpillars and take shelter and lay eggs in the plant. When we talk about milkweed and butterflies, we are usually talking about one butterfly in particular. In addition to serving as home to milkweed editions, milkweed books, the loft literary center, and the minnesota center for book arts, the building offers a coffee shopbistro, a literary commons, and event space. Swamp milkweed and tropical milkweed are two of your best options because they grow well in pots and are easy to transplant.
Fortunately, milkweed grows throughout the united states. The crops resist weed killers, allowing farmers to spray herbicides more liberally. Monarch eggs are tiny about 18 inch long and the butterfly glues each one individually to the underside of a milkweed leaf with a quickdrying substance she secretes along with the egg. They lay their eggs on milkweed so that the caterpillars that hatch can eat the leaves to grow and ultimately become butterflies. Monarch butterflies lay eggs on this plant and the resulting larvae caterpillars use the plant leaves as a food source. Monarchs are fascinating creatures found in both eastern and western coastal regions of the united states. Last week rick bunting, a butterfly watcher in upstate ny happened to have his camera handy when a female monarch was laying eggs. The females begin their search for milkweed plants on which to lay eggs. The monarch butterfly or simply monarch danaus plexippus is a milkweed butterfly subfamily danainae in the family nymphalidae. In the us, monarch danaus plexippus, queen danaus gilippus, and soldier danaus eresimus butterflies are affected by oe. The number of eggs laid by a female, who may mate several times, ranges from 290 to 1180. If you are going to find monarch butterfly eggs, you have to first find milkweed.
A migration towards the north takes place in the spring. When milkweed is full grown and in bloom, monarch mates and deposits her eggs on milkweed plants. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs only on milkweed plants, which then become the exclusive food source for the caterpillars, once they hatch. Female monarchs lay eggs for the next generation during these migrations. Jul 21, 2015 a monarch butterfly lays eggs several times on the milkweed plant in our yard. Why planting milkweed wont halt monarch butterfly decline. I am new to rearing monarch butterflies i planted only 2 asclepias curassavica milkweed plants in early spring i wasnt counting on monarch butterflies to be laying eggs shortly after planting so i didnt look for eggs or caterpillars in the 2 milkweed plants till july,august after they grew 23 feet tall. The milkweed plant provides all the nourishment the monarch needs to transform the monarch caterpillar into the adult butterfly. Aphids are an entirely different species of insect. The main difference between monarch females and males is the females are a more smokier reddish brown color and males have dark spot called a. As monarchs spread across north america, several generations of butterflies are produced. The larvae develop into caterpillars with black, white and yellow stripes. Milkweed is the single most important plant for monarchs.
Water thoroughly every few days at the base of your plants to keep leaves hydrated. In monarchs and milkweed, anurag agrawal presents a vivid investigation into how the monarch butterfly has evolved closely alongside the milkweed. In north america, they make large migrations towards the south starting in august until the first frost. Oe ophryocystis elektroscirrha is a protozoan parasite that infects butterflies in the danaus species group, those that host on milkweed. Milkweed for butterflies monarch caterpillars only eat milkweed. Milkweed is toxic to sheep and horses but crucial to butterflies. As caterpillars, they need a host plant to eat and, as butterflies, they need nectar plants on which to feed. Milkweed, the only plant on which monarchs lay their eggs, is often found at the edge of farm fields. Prepare milkweed plants for monarch eggs raise the.
Milkweed beetles monarch butterflies pictures cbs news. Attracting monarch butterflies with milkweed sunday gardener. Milkweed is named for its milky sap, which consists of latex containing alkaloid and several other complex compounds, including cardenolides, which are toxic and help protect the caterpillar and butterfly from predators. Monarch butterflies depend on the milkweed to survive, but other insects also call it home kathy huber sep. When the larvae hatch, they feed exclusively on milkweed leaves. You do not need to pot milkweed, but i often find eggs on ours and have heard similar reports from others. The butterflies mexican wintering grounds have been increasingly logged, and american farmers in the midwest are planting more genetically modified crops. Its the only one they lay their eggs on and young caterpillars eat. It is sometimes called the milkweed butterfly because it is the only plant the monarch larvae, or caterpillars, can eat. Agrawal ecology, evolutionary biology, entomologycornell univ. Sep 19, 2014 monarch butterflies depend on the milkweed to survive, but other insects also call it home kathy huber sep.
In february and march, the final generation of hibernating monarch butterflies comes out of hibernation to find a mate. Monarch butterflies are known for their long annual migration. Female monarch butterfly laying eggs on mexican milkweed in. The caterpillars feast upon the milkweeds alkaloid sap, while the birds steer clear of it. While it is regrowing, females also lay eggs on these potted plants. Monarchs lay eggs on the undersides of the leaves and their larvae become striped caterpillars and feed on the leaves as they develop. Most of the danaini are found in tropical asia and africa, while the. Plant milkweed for monarchs monarchs cannot survive without milkweed. Like most butterflies, monarchs experience four stages in their month long life cycles egg, larva, pupa and adult. Whether or not they lay their eggs on your milkweed, really depends on the availability of milkweed in the area, and the availability of monarch butterflies. Start preparing a few milkweed plants 12 weeks before you want monarch eggs. This milkweed also serves as an important food source for developing monarch larva.
Help save the monarch butterfly with asclepias tuberosa. Milkweed beetles on milkweed plants at ryerson woods in deerfield. Prepare milkweed plants for monarch eggs raise the migration. This magnificent mama monarch is making the most of midmay look carefully and you can see her abdomen curl up under her to deposit eggs on the undersides of the leaves. Whether or not they lay their eggs on your milkweed, really depends on the availability of milkweed in the area, and the availability of. What you should know about the fall migration of the. Unfortunately, it is treated as a weed and rooted out. Asclepias syriaca common milkweed and other native milkweeds such as butterfly milkweed and swamp milkweed above are equally monarchfriendly.
Cut down mexican milkweed stalks no later than early september, so females migrating through will not lay eggs on it. If each of us takes one small action, we can help save the monarch. How you can save monarch butterflies with milkweed seeds. From egg to chrysalis monarch females the ones without dark spots on their wings lay, on average, 700 eggs over two to five weeks in august. Females lay eggs on host plants milkweed, see below. They do this because the milkweed is poisonous to most animals but. Milkweed plants serve monarch butterflies in several ways, from being the ideal home for eggs, to feeding the newly hatched caterpillars, to providing the foundation from which the chrysalis will hang. Timing your planting season in fall or spring gives your milkweed plenty of time to grow before summer. Other common names depending on region include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black veined brown. They are attracted to these plants and lay their eggs in them.
Asclepias curassavica blooms all summer long and is a magnet to butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinators as well as beneficial insects. Along the way, it will lay eggs on milkweed, which provide sustenance for the next generation of emerging caterpillars. Monarchs danaus plexippus lay their eggs exclusively on milkweeds asclepias spp. Growing milkweed to attract butterflies gardening channel. Adult female monarch butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves. Do monarch caterpillars eat anything besides milkweed.
Soon an egg hatches and a tiny caterpillar walks, eats, grows, and forms a chrysalis. Butterfly milkweed asclepias tuberosa is a native plant that creates a wonder area of your garden for monarch butterflies. Monarch females the ones without dark spots on their wings lay, on average, 700 eggs over two to five weeks in august. In fact, the monarch butterfly is also known as the milkweed butterfly. Milkweed editions is an independent publisher of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Monarch caterpillars need milkweed plants asclepias spp. They then migrate north and east in order to find a place to lay their eggs. Monarchs lay eggs on the undersides of the leaves and their larvae become striped caterpillars and feed on the leaves as. Danainae is a subfamily of the family nymphalidae, the brushfooted butterflies. Its a great concept, but i felt that at times especially at the beginning and end it was a bit abstractit wasnt clear why we were reading first about a milkweed plant, then about a monarch butterfly, it felt disjointed. What is raw honey, and is it really worth the buzz. Create habitat for monarchs the monarch joint venture.
Please plant milkweed to support monarch populations, and their incredible migration. Their caterpillars only eat milkweed plants and butterflies use it to lay their eggs. While the butterflies summer in the north, the milkweeds leaves turn brown and seed pods form. Another way to get monarch caterpillars is to capture a live female with a butterfly net, place her in a cage with cuttings of milkweed and place the cage near a sunlit window and watch her lay eggs. Generally speaking, monarch butterflies love plants of the asclepiadaceae milkweed family. Female monarch butterfly laying eggs on mexican milkweed. The last set of eggs laid in september pull out of here well before our first frost. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed and the caterpillars eat milkweed. Female monarchs lay eggs on milkweeds and a few other plants in the dogbane family. Monarch butterflies do not lay eggs on anything but the milkweed plant.
A monarch butterfly lays eggs several times on the milkweed plant in our yard. Monarch butterfly simple english wikipedia, the free. Monarch butterflies come all the way from mexico over a few generations, depending on the amount of milkweed available during their travels, spending summer here in ontario. Lets start in mexicothe overwintering monarchs fly north to a food source and lay eggs. Provide other flowering species to feed butterflies, from spring through fall. Ive been telling you that we can help monarch butterflies in our ecosystem gardens by planting more milkweed because that is the only plant that monarch will lay their eggs on weve also talked about making your wildlife garden a certified monarch waystation, which will provide habitat for them, since habitat loss is one of the largest contributors to their declining populations. Sorry it is so shaky, it was hard to keep up with where it was going. Aug 10, 2019 these should remain monarch only milkweed plants while waiting for eggs.