Monarch caterpillars only eat milkweed leaves.

[Mullikaji1]

I found a Monarch caterpillar on a butterfly weed . The leaves of the Milkweed plant were too tough for this fourth generation caterpillar . Since I cannot post my video response you may want to see my video as proof of the fact."Monarch Cocoon that travelled" Mullikaji!

[GuruGulu]

If you eat milkweed would you get poisoned?

[backyardbugs]

Your other question: The toxin never runs out in the caterpillar because it keeps eating. I don't know about the butterflies, because they are nectar feeders from all sorts of flowers. I don't know whether anyone has done the experiment.

[oopalonga]

now im confused--b/c in the other video a researcher had the caterpillar eat cabbage, but this video states caterpillars eat only milkweed. Can you please explain?

Also, can a monarch's repository of milkweed "venom" run out?

thanks!

[backyardbugs]

Professor Brower experimentally selected those caterpillars that were able to grow on cabbage and bred them over several generations. These caterpillars had no toxin. This is evidence to prove that the toxin in the ones not grown artifically on cabbage came from the ingested milkweed. In other words the caterpillars do not produce the toxin, they sequester it from their diet. In nature monarch caterpillars ONLY eat milkweed leaves. That is true.