Natural History Wanderings

from Xerces Society

Early-season milkweed species are available to monarchs for egg laying and caterpillar feeding relatively early in the breeding season, when populations are at their smallest sizes at the end of winter. These early milkweeds are likely critical to monarch survival because they are the first suitable host for egg-laying. They are also important because overwintering monarchs may not survive long enough to breed on later-emerging species, or may have lower fecundity later in their lifecycle.

The Xerces Society and our partners have begun a 3-year project to increase the supply of pesticide-free, early-season milkweed plants available for restoration Learn more