Milkweed and Monarch Butterfly Mania - Asclepias and Danaus

Think of an ecosystem.

Did you think of a large area like a forest, a lake, a desert or a meadow?

Individual plants can also be home to many different animals. The plant can play an important role in the survival of a single species or many different animals.

Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a vital host plant for several unique animals. You may pass by small stands of milkweed growing wild, along country roads or vacant lots. Stop and carefully examine them. You will discover that these plants are home to an abundance of creatures.

Let's look more closely at milkweeds and some of their inhabitants. They thrive in a backyard habitat and along the roads winding through Central Pennsylvania.

I think you will recognize one of the most famous animals found on milkweed plants - the Monarch Butterfly.

Follow the green arrows to tour the site - Begin Here

Print this Worksheet for this site

Or use these links to go to a topic page.

Milkweed plant - Asclepias syriaca, Asclepias tuberosa, Asclepias incarnata

Emerging milkweed plants

Flowers

Sap

Root

Pod

Seeds

Uses

Milkweed Symmetry

Watering Milkweed - Spreadsheet integration activity

Measuring - Caterpillars and Milkweed leaves activity

Chart the classification of the Common Milkweed (Adv)

White milkweed | Butterfly Weed

School Habitat Garden | Home garden

Residents:

Milkweed Tiger Moth & caterpillar

Harvestmen

Slug

Spider Web

Aphids

Milkweed Bug

Ladybugs (Lady beetles)

Pillbug

Wasp family resident

Wheel Bug | Caterpillar Predator

Carpenter Bee

right arrow orange Monarch Butterfly & Caterpillars

Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly

ID Me! - identifying Monarchs activity

Measuring Caterpillars and Milkweed leaves activity

Mid Fall Larva Mystery Challenge

Draw a Monarch Butterfly - Scientific Illustration

Home garden

Black Swallowtail Caterpillar

Host Plants Information

Do You Know a Monarch When You See One?

Resources about Monarch Butterflies and Milkweed Plants

Fields, Meadows & Fencerows Study Unit - Insects - Butterflies

 

a stand of about 20 common milkweed plants growing vigorously in the summer sun

Science Activities & Investigations to hone your Citizen Scientist skills:

Caterpillars: Comparing exercise | Contrasting exercise (beg/Int)

Compare or Contrast Butterflies (beg/Int)

Monarch Word Search pdf (Beg/Int)

Milkweed True - False Quiz (Beg/Int)

Monarch multi-guess Quiz (Beg/Int)

Butterfly Math (Int/Adv)

Collecting Data (Int/Adv) | Variables (Adv)

Observation Skills Builders: Larvae | Cozy (Beg/Int/Adv)

Window Investigation Mystery

Science Journal entry - pdf version (Int/Adv)

Milkweed Crossword puzzle | Milkweed Puzzle print

Prediction Challenge (Beg/Int)

Calculating surface area of milkweed leaf

Milkweed coloring | Color a Butterfly (Beg)

Add a stanza to Over in the Meadow (Beg)

Chart Milkweed growth (Beg/Int)

Make a Compare/Contrast Diagram using a computer how to

Mystery Butterfly Challenge (Int/Adv)

Mystery Caterpillar Challenge

Mystery Caterpillar Challenge & IPM (Int/Adv)

Observe - Predict a Fun activity

Adaptations of monarch butterflies wksht

Chart the classification of the Monarch Butterfly. (Adv)

Make a crossword puzzle about Milkweeds and Monarchs

Frayer Science Vocabulary Activites: new

Insect - doc. | pdf.

Insect Metamorphosis - doc. | pdf.

Butterflies - doc. | pdf.

Moths - doc. | pdf.

More Science Activities:

Butterfly & Moth Internet Hunt (Int/adv)

Observation worksheets

Investigating Interesting Insects activity (Int/Adv)

Make an Organisms Database - How to using AW (Int/Adv)

Scientific Process (Int/Adv)

Native Plants Garden at School project (Adv)

Plant Parts Facts Activity

Using the Scientific Method activity

Science Observation Skill Builders

Science links

Go Green Database - lessons & activities directory @ Edutopia

Environmental Education resources

Pennsylvania Academic Standards

a plusThis web project received an A+ rating from Education World®

Our property is a Monarch Waystation and a Backyard Wildlife Habitat

Monarch Butterflies are now listed as an endangered species. They are endangered, in part, due to a loss of habitat and milkweed plants. Take a look at your school yard, a local park and your home yard. Where could you plant native milkweed, asters and goldenrod to aid the monarchs in surviving?

ivy rule

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©2003 Cynthia O'Hora All rights reserved. Cynthia J. O'Hora Updated 8/2022

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