I am reading a fascinating book by Anurag Agrawal, an American professor at Cornell University of ecology, evolutionary biology, and entomology, called Monarchs and Milkweed: A Migrating Butterfly, a Poisonous Plant, and Their Remarkable Story of Coevolution. In it he describes the unique relationship between monarchs and milkweeds.
Monarchs and Milkweed: A Migrating Butterfly, a Poisonous Plant, and Their Remarkable Story of Coevolution by Anurag Agrawal. Click here to purchase book.
Monarchs need milkweed to survive since it is the only plant they use to feed their young. Without milkweed, there would be no monarchs. Fortunately, in North America alone, there are 100 different species of milkweed on which female monarchs seek to lay their eggs.
Milkweeds get their common name from the milky color of its sap. The sap contains toxins, called cardenolides, which the monarch has adapted to be able to ingest. These toxins serve to protect both the plants and the monarchs from predators. Milkweed provides protection for the monarch larvae as well as the adult butterflies. But the milkweed plants can also be toxic to the caterpillars so they have developed strategies to benefit from the alkaloids in the latex sap to prevent from being killed by those same toxins.
The latex sap of milkweed contains cardiac glycosides, among a variety of other toxic chemicals.
The newly hatched tiny caterpillar must face the challenge of the milkweed latex as it begins its first meal. A first instar caterpillar is so tiny this sticky substance can easily immobilize it if it isn’t careful. Typically the newbie caterpillars chew a small circle and then are able to eat the center portion. This behavior is called “trenching.” By doing so, the caterpillar effectively drains the latex from that small area of the leaf, and makes itself a safe meal. The method isn’t foolproof, however, and a good number of early instar monarchs become mired in latex and die. According to some research, as many as 30% of first instar caterpillars do not survive. (Source : It’s the first bites that count: Survival of first-instar monarchs on milkweeds by Myron P. Zalucki.)
After hatching, the larva eats its eggshell (chorion). It then eats clusters of fine hairs on the bottom of the milkweed leaf before starting in on the leaf itself. It feeds in a circular motion, often leaving a characteristic, arc-shaped hole in the leaf.
Fourth and fifth instar caterpillars larvae deactivate latex before eating leaves by chewing a shallow notch in the petiole (the stalk which attaches the leaf blade to the stem) of the leaf they are eating, which causes the leaf to fall into a vertical position. After the leaf hangs down, the caterpillar will flip around to eat the leaf.
The sticky latex sap in milkweed can make it difficult for the Monarch caterpillar to feed. This fifth instar caterpillar overcomes the obstacle by cutting the petiole of the leaf to halt the flow of sap, thus making the leaf easier to eat and preventing from consuming too much of the toxic sap.
Monarch larvae consume so much milkweed they increase their body mass by as much as 2,000 times or more during the larval stage.
One Monarch caterpillar will consume about 7-8 leaves of Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). (Photo by Holli Hearn of Beautiful Monarch. Used with permission.)
To help monarch butterflies to survive and to thrive we need to plant more milkweed. You can never have enough milkweed when you are feeding hungry monarch caterpillars!
Help save monarch butterflies by spreading the message to plant milkweed with this magnetic car sign. Click here to purchase.
There are approximately 20,000 species of butterflies in the world. About 725 species are found in North America north of Mexico, with about 575 of these occurring regularly in the lower 48 states of the United States, and with about 275 species occurring regularly in Canada. In most parts of the United States, you can find roughly 100 species of butterflies near your home. The number is higher in the Rio Grande Valley and some parts of the West, somewhat less in New England. As one goes northward into Canada the number decreases, while as one goes southward into Mexico the number greatly increases. (https://www.naba.org)
Here is a list of some of the five most common butterflies found throughout the United States. Plant their host plants to attract them to your garden.
The Painted Lady butterfly is one of the most widespread of all butterflies, found on every continent except Antarctica and South America.
Identifying Characteristics:
• Painted Lady butterflies have a wingspan of 1.75 to 2.5 inches.
• The coloring is pinkish-orange, with dark brown to black markings near the wingtips and white spots inside the black markings.
• The caterpillars’ coloring is variable, ranging from greenish-yellow to charcoal. Most have light-colored spots.
Male American Ladies sip moisture and nutrients from damp soil. Females are often observed flying low in search of their ground-hugging host plants. Both sexes avidly nectar at a variety of plants and are often among those early spring butterflies that nectar from wild plum blossoms. (Alabama Butterfly Atlas)
Identifying Characteristics:
• American Lady Butterflies have a wingspan of 1.75 to 2.5 inches.
• The coloring of this species is a brilliant orange with dark borders and markings and white and purple spots. The underwings have an ornate pattern similar to a cobweb.
• On the underside of the wings, American Lady butterflies have eyespots. These circular markings make the butterfly look intimidating to predators, warding off potential danger.
American Lady and Painted Lady butterflies look very similar to each other. Here are some field markings to help you tell the difference.
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
The Cabbage White was accidentally introduced to Quebec, Canada, around 1860 and spread rapidly throughout North America. The caterpillar, often referred to as the “imported cabbageworm”, is a pest to crucifer crops such as cabbage, kale, bok choy and broccoli. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieris_rapae)
Identifying Characteristics:
• Cabbage White Butterflies have a wingspan of 1.25 to 2 inches.
• The wings are light greenish to white, with black wing tips and black dots in the center of each wing. Males have one black dot on each side, and females have two.
• Caterpillars, sometimes called Cabbage Worms, are dark green with a light green stripe along the back.
Named for its conspicuous target-shaped eyespots, the Common Buckeye is one of the most distinctive and readily-identifiable North American butterflies. It inhabits a wide variety of open, sunny landscapes including old fields, roadsides, utility corridors, gardens, parks, yards, fallow agricultural land, scrubs, pine savannas, and weedlots. (https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/common_buckeye.htm)
Identifying Characteristics:
• Common Buckeye butterflies have a wingspan of 2 to 2.5 inches.
• Their coloring is brown with orange bars. Black and white rings outline three to four prominent eyespots with middles in blue, magenta, orange, and green shades.
• Caterpillars are dark brown to black with stripes along the back and sides and spines around the entire body.
This time of year I often get asked if it is too late to plant milkweed. As far as I am concerned, it is never too late to plant milkweed. According to Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants, germination of native milkweed can be achieved all the way into July. https://theodorepayne.org/growing-milkweed-from-seed/
Not all native milkweeds need pretreatment such as cold stratification before planting. Aquatic Milkweed (Asclepias perennis), Narrowleaf Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis), and Wooly-Pod(Asclepias eriocarpa) can be planted directly into a pot or into the ground.
I have been told that Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) and Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) also do not need to be cold stratified. I have successfully geminated the latter two by using the “Jarmination” method I learned from Brad Grimm at Grow Milkweed Plants.
I was able to germinate these Antelope Horn milkweed seeds without cold stratification in only six days using the Jarmination Method. Click here to learn more.
There are also non-native milkweeds that do not need to be cold stratified including Scarlet Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica), Balloon Milkweed (Gomphocarpus physocarpus), Swan Milkweed (Gomphocarpus fruticosus), Giant Crown Flower (Calotropis gigantea), and Procera Milkweed(Calotropis procera). These milkweeds are perennials in USDA Zones 9-11 and annuals in colder zones unless protected from frost and freeze.
Milkweed is not only the only plant that sustains monarch caterpillars, but the flowers provide wonderful nectar for many different species of butterflies as well as all kinds of pollinators including bees, moths, and hummingbirds.
The Passion Flower (Genus: Passiflora) is indigenous to the Americas. It is unique among the hundreds of old Christian flower symbols in that there is specific historical documentation of the time and place of its origin – the symbolism having been first perceived by the Mexican Augustinian friar, Emmanuel de Villegas, who reported it, with sketches, in Europe in 1610. The Passion Flower was known in Spanish as “La Flor de las Cinco Llagas” or the ‘The Flower With The Five Wounds.’ ‘Passionis’ refers to (Christ’s) suffering.
The filaments grow in a ring right above the petals and sepals on the passionflower. These filaments are said to represent the crown of thorns that Jesus wore before his crucifixion. The word “corona” is actually defined as being like a crown, or in the shape of a crown.
If you enjoy butterflies in your garden, then you definitely need passion vine. Not only are the blossoms a rich nectar source for adult butterflies, the leaves are an important food source for some of our most beautiful butterfly caterpillars, including the Gulf Fritillary and the Zebra Longwing.
Stigma
At the top of the flower, above the petals, sepals, and corona filaments, there are three stigmas. The stigma is the part of the flower that receives pollen and initiates fertilization. The three stigmas on the passionflower are said to represent the three nails that held Jesus to the cross.
The Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) not only feeds on the fragrant blooms of the Caerulea Blue Passion Flower (Passiflora caerulea) , but will also lay its eggs on the leaves of the vine. Click here or on the image to purchase seeds.
Petals and Sepals
The ten “petals” are said to represent the ten apostles who were faithful to Jesus throughout the crucifixion.
Cloudless Sulphur butterflies (Phoebis sennae) line up to sip the sweet nectar from the Passion Flower. Photo by Heidi Avilés Nieves.
Anthers
The passion flower has five anthers that can be found right below the three stigmas. The anthers are the parts of the flower where pollen is produced. The five anthers are said to symbolize five wounds that Jesus suffered when he was crucified.
Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charithonia) nectaring on Passiflora incarnata, also known as Maypop. The Zebra Longwing also uses the plant as a host plant for its caterpillars. Photo by Eillen Arevir. Click here or on the photo to purchase seeds.
Fruit
The fruit represents our world that Jesus saved when he sacrificed himself. The fruit is generally a round shape, which is why it is referred to as the earth in this reference.
The fruit of Yellow Passion Fruit (Passiflora Edulis) is edible once the fruit ripens. Click here or on the image to purchase seeds.
Such symbols gave a specific focus of Christian faith to the religious sense of nature, and also provided a visual means of teaching the Gospel story in an era where there were no printed catechisms.
Passiflora is a beautiful vining plant that is a climbing herbaceous perennial, producing alluring flowers that will tantalize you with their scent.
Maria Sibylla Merian ((1647–1717) ) was a pioneering entomologist and naturalist who was the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. Maria was trained as an artist under her stepfather in Nuremberg. Fascinated by butterflies and moths from an early age, she studied the insect life cycle through the animals she found in local fields and gardens, recording her discoveries in meticulous watercolors and prints. She had started to collect insects as an adolescent. At age 13, she raised silkworms.
Portrait of Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717), 1679. Found in the Collection of Art Museum Basel. Artist Marrel, Jacob (1614-1681). (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images via Getty Images)
After more than fifteen years of marriage to a fellow artist and the birth of two daughters, Merian left her husband. She began to support herself by selling watercolors of insects, fruit, and flowers, eventually establishing an art business in Amsterdam with her daughters, Johanna Helen and Dorothea Maria.
Maria documented moths and butterflies in various stages of metamorphosis, describing in great detail the colors, forms, and timing of each stage. Through her studies, research, and paintings, and by taking a more ecological approach to the study, Maria was able to demonstrate that caterpillars went through a metamorphosis, and did not reproduce via spontaneous generation from decaying matter, as was the common thought of the day. In 1679, Merian published the first volume of a two-volume series on caterpillars; the second volume followed in 1683. Each volume contained 50 plates that she engraved and etched. Merian documented evidence on the process of metamorphosis and the plant hosts of 186 European insect species. Along with the illustrations Merian included descriptions of their life cycles.
Title page of The Caterpillars’ Marvelous Transformation and Strange Floral Food, first volume, published 1679.
Growing tired of the limited specimens available to her in Amsterdam, Maria sold everything she had in 1699 and, with her youngest daughter in tow, set sail for the Dutch colony of Suriname in South America. The weather was hot and humid, and although the jungles were teeming with live specimens for her to study, it was a dangerous place to be. However, with her keen observation skills, Maria discovered much about the insects, climate, plants, and animals of the area. She also observed the Dutch treatment of slaves, which provided the world with an in-depth historical account of daily life in Suriname at the time. Two years into her research there, Maria became sick with malaria and that, coupled with the hot climate, caused her to return to Amsterdam. Once back there, she published her influential work on her findings as Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium.
Merian’s new approach to scientific illustration is demonstrated in this watercolour of the life cycle of the Achilles Morpho Butterfly (Morpho achilles). Unlike her predecessors, who had arranged the different life stages in a row, Merian produced an elegant naturalistic composition which shows the caterpillar, green chrysalis, and adult butterfly with wings both open and closed.
Maria revolutionized the field of entomology with her detailed and beautiful illustrations, and helped to put the field of entomology on a more established foundation. Because her works were published in German and not Latin, this allowed larger numbers of ordinary people to more easily access her research. Her books were so popular that there were 19 editions published between 1665 and 1771. The Russian Tsar Peter I, who admired Maria, hung a portrait of her in his study, while Johann Wolfgang von Goethe marveled at her ability to simultaneously depict both science and art in her paintings. Her picture once adorned the 500 Deutschmark note, as well as finding its way onto many German stamps. Many schools have been named after Maria, as well as a modern research vessel that was launched in Germany. Additionally, six plants, two beetles, and nine butterflies have been named in her honor. (https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/maria-sibylla-merian-famous-scientists-in-history.html)
Deutsche Bundesbank, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
I first learned about Maria Sibylla Merian in a wonderfully illustrated and well-written book called The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Scienceby Joyce Sidman. A delightful book written for children ages 10-14, I found it an interesting read as an adult and began find out more about this fascinating and courageous woman.
The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science by Joyce Sidman. • Click Here or on the book cover for details.
There are many resources on the Internet where you can learn more details about Maria Sibylla Merian as well as see many of her illustrations. One of the best is located at Royal Collection Trust where you can explore her works at the Royal Collection located in Buckingham Palace.
There are many books written for both older and younger children. Here are my two favorites:
Maria Sibylla Merian: Artist, Scientist, Adventurer by Sarah Pomeroy and Jeyaraney Kathirithamby. • Click Here or on the book cover for details.Summer Birds: The Butterflies of Maria Merian by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Julie Paschkis. • Click Here or on the book cover for details.
And just for fun Maria Merian’s Butterflies Coloring Book: Drawings from the Royal Collection.
This beautiful coloring book features over 40 stunning butterfly illustrations of Marian Merian, produced in association with the Royal Collection Trust. • Click Here or on the book cover for details.
