{"id":16367,"date":"2021-09-20T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T10:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=16367"},"modified":"2023-10-05T14:33:12","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T18:33:12","slug":"take-5-munchin-on-milkweed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-munchin-on-milkweed\/","title":{"rendered":"Take 5: Munchin’ On Milkweed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It’s well-known that Monarch caterpillars (the larval form of Monarch butterflies) rely on plants in the milkweed family as their sole source of food. But milkweeds actually support many different insects, in addition to Monarchs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most notably, this includes two insects in the seed bug family\u2014large milkweed bugs and small milkweed bugs\u2014and two from the order of beetles\u2014red milkweed beetles and swamp milkweed leaf beetles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may notice a theme as you look through these five photos of milkweed-loving insects: they’re all dressed in the same colors! They tend to sport eye-catching black-and-orange or black-and-red coloration to warn would-be predators of their toxicity and bitter taste, a defense mechanism called “aposematism”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of these species pick up their toxicity from compounds called “cardiac glycosides” found in the milkweed they eat, but some, like the swamp milkweed leaf beetle, are only faking it\u2014they don’t store the toxins in their bodies, but mimic insects that do in order to capitalize on their predator-repelling powers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Red
Red Milkweed Beetle on Common Milkweed \u00a9 Jenny Schule<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Small
Small Milkweed Bugs on Burdock \u00a9 Jan S. Berger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Swamp
Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle on Common Milkweed \u00a9 Jodi Wilson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Large
Large Milkweed Bugs on Common Milkweed\u00a9 Mass Audubon\/Kristin Foresto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Monarch
Monarch Butterfly on Common Milkweed \u00a9 Kirsten Torkelson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s well-known that Monarch caterpillars (the larval form of Monarch butterflies) rely on plants in the milkweed family as their sole source of food. But milkweeds actually support many different insects, in addition to Monarchs. Most notably, this includes two insects in the seed bug family\u2014large milkweed bugs and small milkweed bugs\u2014and two from the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":16374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6,158],"tags":[197,32,133,192,84],"class_list":["post-16367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","category-take-5","tag-beetles","tag-bugs","tag-insects","tag-milkweed","tag-photography"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/09\/6637Jenny_Schule34218-2.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-4fZ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":288,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/dont-weed-the-milkweed\/","url_meta":{"origin":16367,"position":0},"title":"Don’t Weed the Milkweed!","author":"Kristin S.","date":"July 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"If a gardening catalog offered a plant that sported unique flowers, attracted butterflies, fed and protected the beloved monarch butterfly, provided nesting material for goldfinches and orioles, was easy to grow, and was native to our state, wouldn\u2019t we be eager to plant some in our gardens? So, what is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gardening"","block_context":{"text":"Gardening","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/gardening\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/07\/commonmilkweedmonarch_cropped.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/07\/commonmilkweedmonarch_cropped.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/07\/commonmilkweedmonarch_cropped.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16992,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/pollinator-plant-duos\/","url_meta":{"origin":16367,"position":1},"title":"Pollinator Plant Duos","author":"Kaylin D.","date":"June 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Within buzzing meadows and grasslands, insects of all shapes and sizes are getting to work. These critters may look like they are aimlessly bouncing from flower to flower, but they are fueling themselves up and pollinating in the process. Pollen sticks to the antenna, bodies, and appendages of an insect,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/06\/KForesto-2615-750x500-95a192d0-b388-473a-8c53-ebe8f24807ef.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/06\/KForesto-2615-750x500-95a192d0-b388-473a-8c53-ebe8f24807ef.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/06\/KForesto-2615-750x500-95a192d0-b388-473a-8c53-ebe8f24807ef.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/06\/KForesto-2615-750x500-95a192d0-b388-473a-8c53-ebe8f24807ef.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10083,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-magnificent-milkweed\/","url_meta":{"origin":16367,"position":2},"title":"Take 5: Magnificent Milkweed","author":"Ryan D.","date":"November 13, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"You may have spotted big puffs of cotton-like fluff growing on waist-high stems in a lot of meadows recently. There's a good chance you're witnessing the opening of the seed pods of the milkweed plant!\u00a0In the fall, milkweed pods open up and release their fluffy, downy seeds to drift away\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/11\/1693BarbaraKMindell5898_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/11\/1693BarbaraKMindell5898_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/11\/1693BarbaraKMindell5898_fi.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8753,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/5-tips-for-attracting-butterflies\/","url_meta":{"origin":16367,"position":3},"title":"5 Tips for Attracting Butterflies","author":"Hillary T.","date":"March 8, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Sure butterflies can be found frolicking in open meadows on warm, breezy summer days, but these exuberant and colorful insects can also be found in your own backyard\u2014if you play your cards right! What does it take to bring the flutter closer to home? Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary Conservation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/Common-wood-nymph-via-Rosemary-Mosco-at-Graves-Farm-640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/Common-wood-nymph-via-Rosemary-Mosco-at-Graves-Farm-640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/Common-wood-nymph-via-Rosemary-Mosco-at-Graves-Farm-640.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11610,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-monarch-caterpillars\/","url_meta":{"origin":16367,"position":4},"title":"Take 5: Monarch Caterpillars","author":"Ryan D.","date":"September 17, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"As summer draws to a close and the days get shorter, the season's last generation of Monarch caterpillars are busily munching away at their favorite food: milkweed. This final calorie-binge will sustain them as they \"pupate,\" ensconcing themselves in a chrysalis\u00a0to spend 8\u201314 days metamorphosing into their adult butterfly form.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar \u00a9 Sean Horton","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/09\/4046Sean_Horton16884.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/09\/4046Sean_Horton16884.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/09\/4046Sean_Horton16884.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/09\/4046Sean_Horton16884.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9758,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/a-good-year-for-monarchs\/","url_meta":{"origin":16367,"position":5},"title":"A Good Year for Monarchs?","author":"Hillary T.","date":"September 12, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"During the last week of August, Regional Scientist Robert Buchsbaum and several Mass Audubon naturalists and scientists took a field trip to Conway Hills Wildlife Sanctuary just west of the Connecticut River in Conway, MA. 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