For instance, a Purdue University Department of Entomology study, published last summer 2019 in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, revealed that non-target pesticides, insecticides and fungicides have wreaked havoc on monarch butterflies, even at their larval stage. Best milkweeds for monarchs. Purchase plants from a reputable nursery to avoid systemic pesticide use that could harm pollinators, or start your plants from seed. The striking appearance of the butterflies and caterpillars also serves as a warning to predators that they are toxic. The missing information, Schultz says, is the time period when the butterflies leave their winter groves and begin to breed in February, March and April. Predators learn to associate the colors and patterns with a bad taste and generally avoid preying on monarchs altogether. What dangers do these “wrong” species of milkweed pose for monarchs? Parasite attacks can come from tachinid flies or wasps (chalcid, trichogramma). If Monarchs lay their eggs at the wrong time, the eggs hatch infested with a parasite. Cheryl, the owner of Greenwood Nursery, is also offering an exclusive coupon to Garden Betty readers for a free beautiful potted strawberry plant that will fruit this spring. One important step is to plant a variety of nectar-rich flowers in the garden that bloom at different times. When these caterpillars become adults, the cardenolides remain, protecting them from predation. The two also follow different migration patterns. Eastern monarchs spend winter in Mexico, while western monarchs congregate on central California coasts to wait out the cold. Planting local milkweed species is always best. The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook is my latest book. It’s native to most parts of the country (except the Northwest) and blooms in a brilliant orange or yellow. Milkweed is vital to monarchs. In Connie Day's Santa Monica garden, a tiger-colored monarch spars with another butterfly, chasing it from a patch of milkweeds. Equally important are perennials, especially native perennials like echinacea (coneflowers) and coreopsis, that can provide a constant and reliable source of food. “Something’s going on in early spring,” said Cheryl Schultz, a professor at Washington State University in Vancouver, to The New York Times. A native plant is one that has occurred naturally in a particular region without human introduction. In addition to monarchs, it attracts pollinators like honeybees, hummingbirds, and a host of other butterflies; And it’s easy to start from seed! Unlike adult monarchs (butterflies), caterpillars cannot simply feed on any plant they please. "The challenge is keeping the food here," Day says, noting that a few monarchs can defoliate a plant in a couple of weeks. Brought to you by Greenwood Nursery. “We just don’t know what they’re doing in that middle period and how we can better support the population,” Schultz says to the Monterey Herald. Why Milkweed is Important Monarch butterflies rely on their host plant, milkweed, for the most critical parts of their life cycle. To fill that gap, the researchers set up the Western Monarch Mystery Challenge, a ten week program asking the public to submit photographs of monarch butterflies outside of their winter range. This is where you come in: by planting milkweed in your (herbicide-free, pesticide-free) yard you provide the vital link in the Monarch lifecycle. 1. A butterfly can lay hundreds of eggs in a few weeks, and the new generation continues the migration. By planting native milkweed, particularly the correct native milkweed species for our area, we can help maintain a safe, healthy natural food source that monarchs have relied upon for thousands of years. Planting Milkweed for Monarchs. 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