Illustrated by Tori

Illustrated by Lauren

Did you know that the monarch caterpillar eats only Milkweed Plants? In fact, it is the only plant that it can eat! There are 110 species of milkweed in North America.  It is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than one year. It grows from rootstock and seeds.  Its fruit is a pod which splits to release many seeds.  It relies on the butterflies, moths, bees, ants and wasps for pollination.

It’s from the Asclepiadaceous family which is named for the Greek god of medicine and healing.  But, most milkweeds are poisonous to herbivores and could make them sick.  In fact, while some northern types of milkweed have almost no toxins, others seem to contain so much of the toxins that they are deadly—even to monarch caterpillars!

Milkweed is common and widespread on Midwestern prairies.  You can find it on many prairies and the edges of farms.  Habitat destruction has made it endangered.  It is also endangered by farmers’ tractors and dangerous fertilizers.

By: Lauren Makrides, Soleil Becker, and Victoria Coniglio

Illustrated by Soleil