Milkweed and Monarchs
The Monarch butterfly and Showy Milkweed share a vital bond, now under serious threat.
Through the Kootenay Native Plant Society’s ‘Milkweed and Monarchs’ program, you can be part of their comeback story in the Kootenays.
Explore their world, learn how to restore crucial habitat, and join our community effort to protect these incredible species.
Monarch Waystation Network
Free Milkweed and More for Restoration Projects
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Milkweed And Monarchs Program
Join the Milkweed and Monarchs program to restore vital habitat for the endangered Monarch butterfly
Our call to action: Save the Western Monarch and its habitat!
Pollinators, including Monarchs, are essential for ecosystem health – vital for humans too. Yet climate change, habitat loss, and pesticide are impacting the long-term survival of Monarch and Milkweed populations. The Kootenay Native Plant Society is committed to protecting, restoring, and enhancing wild Milkweed habitats essential for pollinators in the Kootenays, with the help of our community.
Milkweed For Restoration Projects
Are you restoring habitat for monarchs and native pollinators?
The Milkweed and Monarchs program supports high-impact restoration projects by providing native plants—including showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) and key nectar connector species—to eligible sites in the Kootenay region.
KNPS will provide free plants for restoration, based on project eligibility.
Find out if your project is suitable to apply here.
Milkweed is not just a food source for Monarchs, but the very foundation of their existence. Monarchs depend on milkweed for reproduction: the female Monarch lays her eggs on milkweed plants, and the larvae feed exclusively on its leaves. As they consume the plant, they absorb toxins that protect them from predators, a unique defence mechanism that makes them turn that brilliant orange. Read more here.
A Monarch Waystation is a specially designed habitat that provides essential resources for Monarch butterflies during their migration. These waystations act as safe havens along the Monarch’s long journey, offering food, shelter, and rest stops for these incredible pollinators. Learn more about Monarch Waystations and our previous projects here.
An Evolutionary Arms Race
The intricate relationship between Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) and Milkweed (Asclepias sp.) is an exceptional example of co-evolution, where both species have shaped each other’s survival strategies over millions of years. As Milkweed plants developed defenses to protect themselves from herbivores, Monarch butterflies simultaneously evolved strategies to exploit these defenses. This ongoing back-and-forth creates an evolutionary “arms race,” where each species adapts in response to the other’s survival tactics. Over time, this cycle of defense and counter-defense has led to highly specialized interactions between the two.
This co-evolutionary process has profound effects on the life histories and behaviours of both species. The Monarch butterfly has become almost entirely dependent on Milkweed for food, while Milkweed has become uniquely adapted to resist herbivory from most species, including the Monarch. This delicate balance not only influences the survival and reproduction of these species but also their role in ecosystems. As the arms race continues, it shapes their behaviour, physiology, and interactions with other organisms, further highlighting the complexity of nature’s evolutionary processes. However, both Milkweed and Monarchs are facing growing challenges due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Understanding the co-evolution of these two species is key to protecting and enhancing their natural habitats for future generations.
Become a Friend of the Flyway!
A Collaborative Effort to Save The Monarchs
KNPS is offering a unique opportunity for individuals, organizations, schools, businesses, and local governments to partner with us to establish and maintain Monarch Waystations. This partnership allows folks to contribute directly to the restoration of Monarch butterfly habitat in the Kootenays, while we provide the plants and expertise to ensure success. Become a Friend of the Flyway here!
Our Community Projects
Find out about our past restoration projects with other community members and conservation organizations here.
Frequently Asked Questions
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