| Can Milkweed Grow Fast Enough? |
In warm summer temperatures, monarch larvae can grow this big in about two weeks!
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Will there be enough milkweed to feed the hungry larvae?
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| Monarchs often arrive in the spring just as milkweed is emerging from the ground. When milkweed is in short supply, a monarch may lay more than one egg per plant or leaf. "Egg loading" is a sign that milkweed is in short supply. If milkweed were plentiful, monarchs would not lay so many eggs on a single plant. When people see milkweed plants loaded with eggs, they wonder: Will there be enough milkweed for the hungry caterpillars? |
| 1. How would you document the growth of a milkweed plant? |
| 2. How would you document the amount of milkweed a monarch larva needs during its caterpillar stage? |