Texas Regional Migration Route

 I live in the Texas regional route of the Monarchs and the Blackland prairie sub-region. One plant native plant that is of utmost importance to the Monarchs is the Antelope Horn Milkweed Asclepias Asperula. This Texas native is not only food for the Monarch caterpillar but also contains a toxic substance that when ingested by the Monarch caterpillar, makes them unpalatable to predators such as birds. A lot of people in Texas along with nurseries plant Tropical Milkweed Asclepias Curassavica. Monarchs seem to love this plant but according to some research, confuses them and causes them to stay longer in some areas when they should be migrating. The tropical Milkweed is actually native to Mexico. I would feel a lot safer for the Monarchs if they only fed on native plants. Native plants should be preferable to non-native plants anyway.

   

                                                                                                                                                                 
Above, is a Monarch caterpillar feeding on Tropical Milkweed.

Below, is the Antelope Horn Milkweed that is native to Texas.