Myth 1: Monarch Butterflies Eat Plants
Despite their diminutive size, monarchs have a big job to do. Each year they fly thousands of miles in a quest to reach the overwintering sites of their great-grandparents across the northern United States and Canada. Their multi-generational journey makes it one of the most remarkable migrations on Earth.
A key to the success of this iconic species is milkweed (Asclepias). Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on it, and they absorb chemicals from the leaves that make them indigestible to predators. These toxins also protect them from bird and wasp attacks, even after they become butterflies.
https://peaksfabrications.com/aftermarket-caterpillar-parts-debunking-misconceptions.html The migration of the monarch depends on the presence of these plants, and it has been declining dramatically. In the United States, sprawl and industrial agriculture have decimated milkweed fields. In Mexico, logging continues to destroy the unique forest ecosystems where the butterflies overwinter. And in California, the number of native milkweed plants has plummeted – and along with them, the numbers of monarchs.
Myth 2: Monarch Butterflies Eat Milkweed
The monarch butterfly is famous for its multi-generational migration from states west of the Rocky Mountains to Santa Cruz, California. But it isn’t just the butterflies that make the journey — other species, such as bees and birds, also use milkweed habitat.
Native milkweed plants are the sole food source for monarch caterpillars, and their toxins protect butterflies from predators. The more people plant milkweed and native wildflowers, or at least don’t mow them down, the more these pollinators can thrive in our gardens and landscapes.
Unfortunately, year-round tropical milkweed poses a threat to monarchs because it is host to the protozoan parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE). Monarch caterpillars eat OE infected milkweed and ingest the debilitating parasite as they mature into adult butterflies. Those infected butterflies are much weaker and don’t live as long as their healthy counterparts. And they’re likely to pass OE onto their offspring. This can lead to even higher rates of monarch mortality during their migration to Central Mexico.
Myth 4: Monarch Butterflies Eat Flowers
When monarchs are spotted here in Texas, it’s a sign that spring has arrived. The annual migration of these delicate beauties – which weigh less than a paperclip and can fly up to 10,000 feet high – is truly amazing. But it’s also alarming that their numbers have dropped so much. Their population has plummeted, in part due to harsh winter weather in their breeding habitats and hotter summers that deplete their food sources. And logging, mining, farming and the use of herbicides on their primary milkweed habitat have taken their toll as well.
The solution is to plant more of the native wildflowers that support these butterflies. And although milkweed may have “weed” in its name, it’s a beneficial plant that shouldn’t be considered invasive or a problem for anyone other than the agricultural sector that tries to eradicate it with herbicides. If you have a large enough yard, planting milkweed along with other flowers to lure butterflies into your garden is a great way to attract them and give these important pollinators the help they need.
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