Monarch butterflies are one of the most recognizable and well-loved insects in North America. These beautiful orange and black butterflies are famous for their annual migration, during which they travel thousands of miles to reach their wintering grounds in Mexico. Along the way, they rely on milkweed plants for food and shelter.

Milkweed is the only food that monarch caterpillars will eat, and adult monarchs will only lay their eggs on milkweed plants. This close relationship between monarchs and milkweed is part of what makes them so fascinating to watch and study.

Unfortunately, milkweed plants are declining in many parts of North America due to habitat loss and the use of herbicides. This is having a serious impact on monarch populations, which have declined by more than 80% in the last 20 years.

There is growing interest in planting milkweed to help monarchs, and you can do your part by planting milkweed in your own garden or yard. Not only will you be helping these amazing creatures, but you’ll also get to enjoy watching them up close as they visit your milkweed plants!

The plants you see in front of you are Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). Each year, we often see multiple monarch butterflies flying around as the plants bloom. We have yet to see a Monarch caterpillar on our plants, and so we have yet to see any caterpillars munching away on the leaves! But, we keep planting them, and as Sam Droege says “Plant them and they will come.”