Common Milkweed
(Asclepias syriaca)
Milkweed gets its name from the thick,
white sap in its stem. The plant grows 2-6 feet
high with a single, simple stem. Its leaves are
opposite, oval shaped and 2-10 inches in length. It
flowers from late June to August. The fragrant
blooms are pink to lavender in color. In the fall,
the flowers develop into seedpods. The pods have
a warty outer skin and are filled with downy fluff
that will carry the seeds on the wind like
parachutes.
Many species of insects use milkweed as an
important food source but none are more closely
associated with it than the Monarch butterfly.
Adult monarchs only lay eggs on milkweed plants.
When the monarch caterpillars hatch, they are
able to munch on the poisonous leaves because
they have adapted to the toxics over tens of
thousands of years. The caterpillars and adult butterflies store the milkweed toxins in their
bodies becoming poisonous to predators.
Monarch Butterflies
(Danaus plexippus)
Monarchs in the eastern part of Canada and the
United States migrate up to 3,000 miles to spend the
winter in Mexico. They depend on milkweed and other
nectar-rich flowers for fuel for their long journey.
Unfortunately, Monarch populations are dwindling as
milkweed and other nectar sources are declining due to development and the widespread
use of herbicides on lawns, croplands, pastures, and roadsides.
Did You Know?
During World War II, milkweed’s downy fluff was collected for use as stuffing
in sailors’ life preservers and airmen’s flight jackets.
The Monarch’s orange and black coloration is a signal to predators: “Danger: I
am poisonous!”
The generation of monarchs that migrates to warmer overwintering sites can
live as long as 8 months. Earlier generations live 6 weeks at most.
The peak migration date for Frederick is September 22.
Instructions for Milkweed Ring
Adapted from Jaebellz blog:
http://jaebellz.blogspot.com/2010/10/diy-flower-ring-pipe-cleaners.html
Materials:
5 pink pipe cleaners
1 green pipe cleaner
Steps:
1. Bunch the pink pipe
cleaners together and twist 5
times in the middle. This will
be your ring band.
2. Twist the bunched pipe cleaners loosely around your ring finger.
Remove.
3. Spread the pink pipe cleaners in a starburst formation. You will
have 10 rays of equal length.
4. Starting at the tips of each ray curl each of the pipe cleaner
towards the center.
5. To create two leaves, bend the green pipe cleaner in half and place
in under the flower. Secure it by twisting it twice.
6. Curl each green ray toward the center. Pinch the final spiral to
make an oval leaf shape.
Instructions for Monarch Butterfly Ring
Adapted from rach1fun youtube video (first three minutes):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opuQWx7fabA
Materials:
2 orange pipe cleaners
¼ black pipe cleaner
Steps:
1. Hold the orange pipe cleaners together and twist about 5 times in
the middle. This will become your ring band.
2. Twist pipe cleaner bundle loosely around your ring finger.
Remove.
3. Spread the orange pipe cleaners in an X formation. There will be
four rays of the same length.
4. Starting at the tips, curl each ray towards the center.
5. Flatten and pinch to create wing shapes.
6. Fold the black pipe cleaner in half and thread it through the ring
portion and over the wings of your butterfly. Flatten into a center
body shape and twist the top to hold it in place.
7. Bend the tips of the black pipe cleaner outward to form antennae.
The University of Maryland, College of
Agriculture
and
Natural
Resources programs are open to all and
will
not
discriminate
against
anyone because of race, age, sex, color,
sexual
orientation,
physical
or
mental disability, religion, ancestry, or
national origin, marital status, genetic
information, or political affiliation, or
gender identity and expression.