The monarch butterfly is remarkable in many ways, but perhaps most astonishing is its ability to migrate thousands of miles—an extraordinary journey for an insect that weighs about as much as a dollar bill.

In this engaging presentation, Ron Allen explores how monarchs accomplish migrations of up to 3,000 miles, including journeys from southern Canada to Central Mexico. While researchers have learned much about monarch migration, important mysteries remain, and Ron will share some of the questions scientists are still working to understand.

The second part of the presentation turns to milkweeds in the Asclepias genus—the only plants on which female monarchs lay their eggs. Milkweeds produce a sticky white sap containing compounds that are toxic to many animals. Monarch caterpillars, however, are specially adapted to feed on the foliage and absorb these toxins into their bodies. Even after metamorphosis, adult monarchs retain this chemical protection, while their bright coloration serves as a warning to predators.

This relationship between monarch and milkweed is one of nature’s most fascinating examples of biological adaptation and interdependence.

Ron will also explore the long history of milkweeds in traditional herbal medicine and discuss selected ethnopharmacological uses of plants in the Asclepias genus.

Best of all, every attendee will receive a free packet of native California milkweed seeds, along with instructions for growing the plants and helping create habitat for monarch caterpillars.

Come discover how migration, plant chemistry, ecology, and traditional knowledge come together in one remarkable partnership.