![]() Before eating, caterpillars will often sever the mid-rib in a leaf, therefore cutting off the main flow of sticky white sap. The reason that they are so specialized on milkweed is that they have evolved the physical and chemical adaptations to eat Milkweed when many other insects can’t. We can’t talk about milkweeds without talking about Monarch butterflies! Milkweeds are well-known as the only host plants for their caterpillars who are dependent on them to complete their lifecycles. They give off a florally-vanilla smell that drifts through the garden on windy days. Common Milkweed is by far the most fragrant with Swamp Milkweed coming in second. Milkweed flowers are some of the most fragrant native plants in Ontario. They will use the familiar white fluff from seedpods and fibers from the stems to build their nests. Milkweed naturally produces nesting material for birds. There really is a milkweed for every garden! Swamp Milkweed for rain gardens, Butterfly Milkweed for sunny, dry gardens and even Poke Milkweed for dry shade gardens. Ontario has a variety of different Milkweed species, with adaptations to different conditions. In our experience, all milkweed species provide equally valuable floral resources. Once you get up close with a Milkweed patch in bloom, you will be amazed by the diversity of life that it supports. In fact, even the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird will drink nectar from the flowers. ![]() Milkweed flowers are rich in nectar and pollen and therefore support a wide diversity of insects including Carpenter bees, Bumblebees, Leafcutter bees, butterflies, moths and even Hoverflies. They have all evolved alongside each other and are part of a healthy, functional ecosystem. While they have big appetites, they should not be seen as pests or competition for Monarch caterpillars. Like the Monarch caterpillars, these species have evolved to eat and accumulate milkweed toxins in their bodies thus making them less appetizing to predators. Milkweeds are well known as the only host plants for caterpillars of the Monarch butterfly, however they are not the only insects to feed on it! Red Milkweed bugs and Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars also feed on parts of Milkweed. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of growing milkweed in your garden, their relationship with Monarch Butterflies and introduce our perspective on managing aphids on milkweed plants.Ĭlick here to jump right to the list of milkweeds. Wildlife gardeners have a variety of milkweed species to choose from in Ontario and there is a Milkweed for almost any growing condition in your garden. This is completely unfair as many milkweed species are well-behaved enough for a garden setting and have a lot of beauty and wildlife value to add to our gardens. Milkweeds admittingly have an image problem (having "weed" in their common name doesn't help!) and are often seen as thugs or weeds.
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