The World Of Monarchs and Milkweed, It Really Isn't Just About Butterflies
I recently made a move. Whenever one makes a move, there is a lot to do. One of my tasks is transforming the landscape; removing lawn, and planting a new drought tolerant garden. I also want butterflies, so I added some lovely yellow flowered milkweed plants (Asclepias). They are easy to grow, drought tolerant, and blend well in my new garden.
What a great idea that turned out to be! I watch my grandchildren who are on summer vacation Mondays and Wednesdays for their hard working mothers. I love it! Papa John's day camp is in session. We have great outings, enjoy sing-alongs as we drive in the car, visit wonderful destinations, learn foreign language and calligraphy, play badminton, and learn about gardening and biology. I am going to miss them when they go back to school. Our milkweed and its many residents is one of their favorite things this summer.
The main reason folks plant milkweed is to attract and feed monarch butterflies. That is a terrific reason, but milkweed is about far more than monarchs. There are other insects that have an exclusive relationship with milkweed, and use it as their primary food source.
Milkweed gets its name from its white sap which contains a poison called cardiac glycosoid. Monarchs and other insects eat milkweed with no ill effects, but the poison they have been raised on renders them toxic and awful tasting to birds and other predators. The monarch butterfly is poisonous at all of its life stages. What a brilliant survival system! While the sap is toxic, the nectar and pollen produced by milkweed is not, so bees and other insects consume it with no ill effect. Isn't nature fascinating?
In addition to Monarchs, milkweed is a host plant for: orange milkweed aphid, milkweed bug, milkweed leaf beetle, and milkweed tiger moth. Who said milkweed was just about monarchs? On Wednesday on a single small milkweed plant we saw: swallowtail butterfly, monarch butterfly, mourning cloak butterfly, skipper butterfly, milkweed bug, milkweed aphids, lady bug adults and larvae, hover fly, honey bee, bumble bee, and monarch caterpillars. The grandchildren were spellbound! Alright, so was Papa.
One of the things you may have noticed about the insects that make milkweed their home is their similar color scheme. Did you catch it? They are orange and black. The distinctive orange and black coloration is a sign to predators to give these insects a wide berth.
About three weeks ago a nascent aphid invasion began, not just any aphid, but milkweed aphid characterized by their brilliant orange coloring. One of the things I have learned about gardening is to not be too hasty about anything, I cringe when folks reach for the neem oil sprayer every time they spot a new bug. Leave them be! Nature does a really fine job of tending to itself. I do spray...exceedingly rarely, but occasionally I have to intervene in the garden. But all in all, leave nature alone. Things will balance. Three weeks later, there are dozens of crocodillian looking lady bug larvae eating aphids by the score. What a great show! If you really, really, need to deal with aphids blast them off with a strong spray of water from the hose. Lady bugs purchased in a container most often fly away, but those that migrate to and colonize in your garden are with you for the long haul.
Another fun aspect of the milkweed are the fluffy and free flying seed. My grand-daughter is fascinated by dandelions and milkweed seed. She will spend a great deal of time blowing on them, and watching them float about the garden. Who needs soap bubbles to chase around when you can blow air borne seed all over the place? I love summer with grandchildren.
It isn't too late to plant some milkweed. It is in every nursery and garden center right now. Plant one or two milkweed, sit back, and enjoy the show. Having a bit of milkweed in your garden is very rewarding for you, and for nature around you.
Happy Gardening!
What a great idea that turned out to be! I watch my grandchildren who are on summer vacation Mondays and Wednesdays for their hard working mothers. I love it! Papa John's day camp is in session. We have great outings, enjoy sing-alongs as we drive in the car, visit wonderful destinations, learn foreign language and calligraphy, play badminton, and learn about gardening and biology. I am going to miss them when they go back to school. Our milkweed and its many residents is one of their favorite things this summer.
The main reason folks plant milkweed is to attract and feed monarch butterflies. That is a terrific reason, but milkweed is about far more than monarchs. There are other insects that have an exclusive relationship with milkweed, and use it as their primary food source.
Milkweed gets its name from its white sap which contains a poison called cardiac glycosoid. Monarchs and other insects eat milkweed with no ill effects, but the poison they have been raised on renders them toxic and awful tasting to birds and other predators. The monarch butterfly is poisonous at all of its life stages. What a brilliant survival system! While the sap is toxic, the nectar and pollen produced by milkweed is not, so bees and other insects consume it with no ill effect. Isn't nature fascinating?
In addition to Monarchs, milkweed is a host plant for: orange milkweed aphid, milkweed bug, milkweed leaf beetle, and milkweed tiger moth. Who said milkweed was just about monarchs? On Wednesday on a single small milkweed plant we saw: swallowtail butterfly, monarch butterfly, mourning cloak butterfly, skipper butterfly, milkweed bug, milkweed aphids, lady bug adults and larvae, hover fly, honey bee, bumble bee, and monarch caterpillars. The grandchildren were spellbound! Alright, so was Papa.
One of the things you may have noticed about the insects that make milkweed their home is their similar color scheme. Did you catch it? They are orange and black. The distinctive orange and black coloration is a sign to predators to give these insects a wide berth.
About three weeks ago a nascent aphid invasion began, not just any aphid, but milkweed aphid characterized by their brilliant orange coloring. One of the things I have learned about gardening is to not be too hasty about anything, I cringe when folks reach for the neem oil sprayer every time they spot a new bug. Leave them be! Nature does a really fine job of tending to itself. I do spray...exceedingly rarely, but occasionally I have to intervene in the garden. But all in all, leave nature alone. Things will balance. Three weeks later, there are dozens of crocodillian looking lady bug larvae eating aphids by the score. What a great show! If you really, really, need to deal with aphids blast them off with a strong spray of water from the hose. Lady bugs purchased in a container most often fly away, but those that migrate to and colonize in your garden are with you for the long haul.
Another fun aspect of the milkweed are the fluffy and free flying seed. My grand-daughter is fascinated by dandelions and milkweed seed. She will spend a great deal of time blowing on them, and watching them float about the garden. Who needs soap bubbles to chase around when you can blow air borne seed all over the place? I love summer with grandchildren.
It isn't too late to plant some milkweed. It is in every nursery and garden center right now. Plant one or two milkweed, sit back, and enjoy the show. Having a bit of milkweed in your garden is very rewarding for you, and for nature around you.
Happy Gardening!
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