Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Other Names

Silkweed
Wild Cotton

Habitat

Wildlife Value

Butterflies
- Monarch
Milkweed Beetle
Pollinating insects

Native?

Related Sites

None

Marsh Marigold | Stillwater, MN| View Enlarged Image

The "milk" in Milkweed is actually a bitter sap containing a poisonous substancecalled cardio glyceride. While this repels most wildlife, Monarch Butterfly have developed such a penchant for it that it's practically all that they eat as caterpillars. They eat so much of the toxic sap, in fact, that their bodies actually become poisonous. Predators have evolved to recognize the distinct black and orange markings of the Monarch as a clear warning signal; steer clear if you don't want a belly ache!

While some animals , like the Milkweed Beetle, have evolved to follow the Monarch's defensive diet plan, other insects found it much easier to look like the Monarch. By mimicking the Monarch's black and orange patterns, Viceroy Butterflies enjoy the same protection from predators. This kind of adaptation is known as mimicry, and is most common among insects.

Some interesting facts about Common Milkweed:

Milkweed seeds were once gathered and spun into thread. Hence the common name "wild cotton".
Common Milkweed is native to Minnesota, and has been introduced from America into many other regions, including Europe.

Multimedia:


Common Milkweed \| Stillwater, MN	Milkweed Beetle on Common Milkweed \| McCusick Lake Trail, Stillwater, MN	Monarch Butterflies on Common Milkweed \| McCusick Lake Trail, Stillwater, MN

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