Milkweed: A Whole Ecosystem on a Plant

Michael Stein· Host0:00

[upbeat music] This is BirdNote. [birds chirping] Milkweed plants are important to monarch butterflies. Adult monarchs lay their eggs on milkweeds, and their caterpillars feed on the leaves. Milkweed contains a toxin that helps protect the caterpillars from predators. But monarchs aren't the only ones who benefit from milkweed. Scientists in Ohio once tried to document every insect species they found eating some part of the common milkweed plant. They identified hundreds of species, including one hundred thirty-two kinds of beetles alone, and many bees, butterflies, and other pollinator insects visit the milkweed's flowers. Milkweed is almost like a tiny ecosystem of its own, drawing in creatures of all shapes and sizes. When it's part of a diverse community of plants, it helps many species find food and shelter, including birds. [bird chirping] The fluffy fibers in a milkweed seed pod are the perfect lining for a songbird's nest. [bird chirping] Not to mention, some hummingbirds drink nectar from milkweed flowers. [hummingbird fluttering] Planting milkweed helps the declining monarch butterfly and a whole host of