Comparison of Common Milkweed and Honeyvine Milkweed (Asclepiadaceae) as Host Plants for Monarch Larvae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

 

Kenneth V. Yeargan and Cora M. Allard "Comparison of Common Milkweed and Honeyvine Milkweed (Asclepiadaceae) as Host Plants for Monarch Larvae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)," Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 78(3), 247-251, (1 July 2005). https://doi.org/10.2317/0407.40.1

 

This study examines the suitability of two milkweed species, common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and honeyvine milkweed (Cynanchum laeve), as host plants for monarch butterfly larvae. The authors, Yeargan and Allard, were particularly interested in honeyvine milkweed because it is prevalent in the eastern United States, yet its role as a monarch host plant is understudied. Their research revealed that monarch larvae developed faster on honeyvine milkweed than on common milkweed, suggesting that it could be a more important host plant than previously recognized. Although pupal weight and survival rates were slightly higher on common milkweed, the differences were not statistically significant. The authors argue that honeyvine milkweed deserves further investigation, particularly in the context of natural enemies and potential differences in plant morphology and phytochemicals that could influence the monarch butterfly lifecycle.