Monarchs have low interest in Tuberosa as a larval host plant. It’s lower in cardinolides and the leaves are harder for the cats to eat. But it’s a fabulous nectar plant and they will use it as a host if others are scarce.
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That may be. But I grow close to 150+ milkweed stems of common, swamp, people and butterfly weed all totaled and all 4 species get larvae every year even with all the available choices. Common is supposed to be preferred but the leaves get rough as they get older while swamp stays fairly tender.
That’s amazing! Way to go. Yeah, common withdraws nutrients after it blooms and seeds, back down to the rhizomes. If it gets cut back at that point, it sends up fresh growth.
I clip close to the ground. Michigan State did some research involving mowing that was pretty informative. Where I am, in Oklahoma, mowing in late June/early July on roadsides gives fresh, tender growth for the monarchs who lay a bonus generation in August, ahead of the migration.
I have heard that too, but I get Monarchs every year on the Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) in my yard. I have Common and Swamp Milkweeds as well. I have watched the mama monarch go from one milkweed to another laying her eggs. She doesn't seem to care about the variety.
That is beautiful. Also very interesting. I wonder though... are the butterflies not laying eggs on the Common Milkweed and Butterfly Weed or are the eggs getting eaten on those and not the honey vine? My Common Milkweed has soooo many predators at all times.
In OK (and TX)we get an influx of reproductive monarchs in Aug and early Sept. At that time, much of the native milkweed has played out. While in the same family (Apicynaceae), Honeyvine (Cynanchum Laeve) is a different genus than Milkweed (Asclepias) and is rigorous in late summer. 1/2
2/2 It does also contain the cardenolides needed to build up toxicity in adults. Interestingly, it shares some of the issues commonly blamed on Tropical mw. I look forward to future studies on this plant, because I think there is a TON of misinformation floating around about tmw. Don’t hate me 😂.
Great question! I look for eggs every day during the season and have never found them on the other milkweed. I could miss some though. Also, I only see females laying on the vine. It’s on a trellis and is higher, maybe that’s it?
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