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They don't hurt the milkweed plant, really. They do drink the nectar in the flower and/or lay eggs underneath the leaves of the plant.

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13y ago
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9y ago

so the butterflies can lay there eggs healthy and it keep them full.

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8y ago

Butterflies pollinate milkweed.

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Q: Why is milkweed plants important to monarch butterflies?
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What flowers do monarch butterflies not like?

What plants Monarch butterflies do not like is not all that important, though no specific plants that they do not like are known. The most important thing is that they not only like, but need specific kinds of milkweed for their survival. They lay their eggs on milkweed and the caterpillars feed on the plant.


What is the host plant for Monarch butterflies?

monarchs lay their eggs on many plants such as milkweed and swan plants


How do monarch butterflies have babies?

butterfly fish reproduce by laying eggs in the sea


How is milkweed important to butterflies?

because there is nutrians and because greens are good for animal and humans


What plants do monarch butterflies eat?

The caterpillars feed on milkweed leaves. The adults feed on any nectar-producing flowers such as asters, goldenrod, marigolds, and swan plants.


Why are the milkweed threatened?

Milkweed plants are threatened primarily due to habitat loss, agricultural practices, and the use of herbicides. Loss of habitat reduces the availability of suitable areas for milkweed to grow, leading to declines in populations. Additionally, milkweed is a primary food source for monarch butterflies, and the decline in milkweed plants has contributed to the decline in monarch butterfly populations.


Is milkweed suitable for birds?

No it is not


Do Monarch Butterflies live in Swan Plants?

The monarch butterfly must lay their eggs on milkweed plants (Asclepias ), and the swan plant is listed on wikipedia as a type of milkweed. Most plants in the milkweed family produce flowers which the monarch can feed on. The caterpillars of the monarch butterfly can only eat leaves from plants in the milkweed family and will die without this food source. The milkweed plant is known for it's white milky sap, which contains alkaloids, latex, and several other complex compounds including cardenolides. Some species are known to be toxic. The caterpillars are immune to the milkweed sap and actually make themselves poisonous by eating it. The butterfly retains the milkweed poison as a defense against predators. Both the monarch caterpillars and the monarch butterflies use bright color patterns as a warning that they are dangerous to eat.


What are some host plants for butterflies?

A host plant means a plant that a caterpillar lives on. Adult butterflies eat different food than their caterpillars. Monarch adults like zinna and butterfly bush but monarch caterpillars like milkweed.


Do monarch butterflies always lay their eggs on milkweed plants?

A monarch caterpillar will look for milk weed, once it finds one it will eat from it. That's how they get their poison. When they come out of their chrysalis they will fly around and every once in a while land on a milk eed and possibly spend a few minutes to a few hours on it. Monarch butterflies will eat milk weed too.


How do monarch butterflies interact with plants?

landing on them


What flowers do Monarch butterflies like?

Monarch Butterflies especially like the following plants and flowers:Spider Milkweed (Asclepias viridis) - Butterflies lay their eggs on Milkweed and caterpillars eat only milkweed. Monarch butterflies need Milkweed to survive, but people treat it as a weed.Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)Siberian Wallflower (Erysimum x marshallii)May Night Salvia (Salvia x superba 'Mainacht')Native flowering plantsSome tips:Plant flowers that bloom at different times throughout the spring and summer so there will be continuous blooms.Do not use insecticidesProvide places, like flat stones, for the butterflies to rest in the sun.Provide a space for "puddling" and provide drinking water.For more information visit:http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips/How-to-Attract-Butterflies-to-Your-Garden.aspxhttp://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Gardening/Archives/2010/Cater-to-Caterpillars-to-Help-Butterflies.aspx