Monarch Butterfly - Adult Food Sources

Adult Food Sources

Adult monarchs have been seen on a number of different nectar plants. A list of nectar resources exploited by monarch butterflies is:

  • Apocynum cannabinum - Indian hemp
  • Asclepias californica - California milkweed
  • Asclepias incarnata - swamp milkweed
  • Asclepias syriaca - common milkweed
  • Asclepias tuberosa - butterfly weed
  • Aster sp. - asters
  • Cirsium sp. - thistles
  • Daucus carota - wild carrot
  • Dipsacus sylvestris - teasel
  • Erigeron canadensis - horseweed
  • Eupatorium maculatum - spotted joe-pye weed
  • Eupatorium perfoliatum - common boneset
  • Hesperis matronalis - dame's rocket
  • Medicago sativa - alfalfa
  • Solidago sp. - goldenrod
  • Syringa vulgaris - lilac
  • Trifolium pratense - red clover
  • Vernonia altissima - tall ironweed

Males will also take in moisture and minerals from damp soil and wet gravel, a behavior known as mud-puddling. The monarch has also been noticed puddling at an oil stain on pavement.

Read more about this topic:  Monarch Butterfly

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