Support Monarch Butterfly Conservation
by Planting Milkweed and Nectar Flowers:

Protect What You Love!

No Milkweed, No Monarch Butterflies!

When the children on Fire Island scatter milkweed seeds in fall, they do it with high expectation because they know that the monarchs will come in summer if we plant them. Why only milkweed? They contain a toxic milk sap that will not harm the caterpillars. When the monarchs emerge from their chrysalides as adult butterflies, the ingested milkweed sap becomes a natural defense against predators causing them to beware.

Female monarch butterflies lay eggs only on milkweed plants. She lays an average of 100 – 300 eggs during her lifetime. The egg will hatch in 3 – 5 days. The caterpillar, or larva, will eat milkweed day and night, storing vital proteins for approximately 11 – 18 days before cocooning.

The botanical name for Milkweed is Asclepias, after the Greek God of healing.

The Mystery of Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis changes physical form, structure, or substance by supernatural means.

When the caterpillar is ready to pupate, it crawls to the top of a higher branch or safe place. It spits up silk glue and attaches its lower legs to hang in a “J” shape. Soon, the “cat” splits its striped skin and wiggles off the old skin revealing a soft green chrysalis, or pupa, that will harden in an hour. Gold dots form a crown around the top. These dots are oxygen portals. Over the next 10 – 14 days the chrysalis darkens in color until it becomes like a glass window.

Inside the chrysalis a magical change is occurring with extraordinary results!

The Monarch Butterfly Emerges

After 10 – 14 days, the adult monarch butterfly cracks open its shell and slowly emerges from the chrysalis with four wet wings, six legs, two compound eyes and antennas, and a straw-like tongue called a proboscis. Monarchs will hang for several hours to dry their wings before flight.

All butterflies live about 4 – 6 weeks, except the fourth generation migrating monarchs called the “Royal Ones.” They live almost nine months and, weighing less than a penny, fly 3000 miles from Canada, through the United States, to a final destination in the Michoacan Mountains of Central Mexico, where they rest over winter. Then, in early spring, they mate, lay eggs and fly north until they expire. Their babies, the first-generation monarchs, repeat the 4-6 week life cycle three more times before they reach Canada, and their ancient migration begins again. However, migrating monarchs are at risk of becoming endangered. Their flutter numbers have decreased by 90% due to toxic pesticides, climate changes, and illegal logging in Mexico.