monarch butterfly resting on a plant.

Monarch Butterflies & Milkweed

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Monarch butterflies are an endangered species. You can help monarchs by avoiding pesticides, planting native milkweed, and spread the word!

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Males have two black spots on the center of their hindwings, females lack the spots.

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Milkweed is named after the milky sustenance that exudes out of the plant once it has been broken.

Milkweed produces toxins to deter animals from eating them, monarchs have become immune to the toxins. Eating milkweed has helped monarchs evade predation due to the toxins staying in their bodies as adults. The colors on monarchs is called aposematic coloration which lets predators know that they do not taste good.

NWF wildlife guide info on the Monarch Butterfly(opens in new tab)
milkweed plant growing in the field with purple flowers and green leaves.
monarch on milkweed

Top photo: Bill Thompson

Middle photo by Courtney Celley/USFWS

Bottom photo by: Mary Helfter at Mill Creek Park