Most people don’t think about where butterflies come from.
Or where there end up for that matter.
We enjoy their presence and beauty and then go about our day.
The Monarch butterfly has a very interesting, albeit, short life.
The migration pattern is considered one of nature’s greatest wonders.
Monarchs are the only butterflies that will travel 2500 miles to a warmer climate.
What’s even more amazing is they winter every year in the same mountain range in Mexico.
And, to amaze you even more, these butterflies have never been there before!
Scientists have studied the migration pattern of Monarchs for years. Even though the life span of the monarch is about a month, the offspring seem to follow the same route as their ancestors did years before them.
In Northwest Arkansas, the monarchs are just now appearing in my garden. They are traveling south from northern states where they have spent the summer.
Their only hope for survival is the milkweed plant (Asclepias sp.)
Asclepias tuberosa
This is the only plant a Monarch will lay its eggs on and the only plant the Monarch caterpillar will eat.
Asclepias tuberosa is commonly seen along roadsides in Arkansas, but the problem is the highway department cuts them down right when the Monarchs need it most.
Asclepias tuberosa
I can’t stop the highway department, but I can plant as much milkweed as I want in my garden.
Asclepias syriaca
Asclepias tuberosa in a native Arkansas perennial in the garden. It can become shrub-like around 2-3 ft. wide and about 2 ft. tall. The root is a long taproot which makes this plant very drought tolerant.
Asclepias tuberosa
Asclepias syriaca is also a native Arkansas perennial. This plant can get quite large at about 5-6 ft. The flowers are also quite large and the Monarchs always seem to hang around this flower when they first come to town.
Asclepias syriaca attracts all kinds of pollinators
Asclepias curassavica is also called Tropical Milkweed. It is an annual in the flower bed, but well worth planting. This plant will bloom all summer into the fall providing food and nectar for traveling Monarchs.
Asclepias curassavica
Can you see the white dot on the underside of the milkweed leaf?
Monarch egg
This is a Monarch egg. In a few days it will hatch and a small caterpillar will emerge. My goal for the next post is to follow a day in the life of a Monarch caterpillar.
Stay tuned!
Brenda
I started to plant milkweed in my garden about three years ago…if there is a heaven it is filled with Monarch butterflies.
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I agree! I’ve seen so many this weekend and I’m loving it!
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Monarchs ARE beautiful! My littles have a book about monarchs they love for me to read to them — pretty amazing little creatures! Enjoyed stopping by (from AWB)! 🙂
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If you have milkweed available, you can actually raise the caterpillars to the butterfly stage. I have done this for many years. Very interesting to watch and a great project for kids.
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NOVA, on PBS, showed the monarch migration a while back. Extraordinary! I’ve tried to transplant milkweed from Michigan but it never takes hold. I’ll be successful one of these times. These little guys need all the help they can get! 🙂
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It is very hard to successfully transplant milkweed from one site to another. It has such a long taproot, it doesn’t like to be moved. If you see some at a local nursery, it should take hold for you.
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This is a very interesting post, thanks for the information. I’ll try growing milkweed.
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Thanks! Plant it and they will come!
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Brenda – You are so right. We have no control over what our governments do but WE can certainly make the effort to be wildlife benefactors.
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Thanks, Brenda.
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it does my heart good to see this as there was one monarch this summer
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They’ve just arrived here, too…I’m hoping for photos this week, if the weather is good.
We have A. Syriaca, but as you said, this is Mowing Time for the roadsides. I’ve got a pretty good little stand of it going in my yard now, where it’s protected…
Can’t wait to see your caterpillar set – fingers crossed!
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You’ve got a nice home set up for them, I’m sure they appreciate it in their own little way. If you get daring try raising a couple in a screen cage or box. It’s fascinating to watch them grow so quickly and go through their changes!
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I have a huge old aquarium set up for this! Plus some smaller bug boxes that I use, too.
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It’s nearly impossible to find educated people in this particular subject, however, you sound
like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
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i would love to know where to buy safe milkweed, can’t find it here or online any thoughts?
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Check with Prairie Nursery. http://www.prairienursery.com/
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