Have you seen these signs around our Lincoln Parks & Prairies this summer?
In consultation with Lincoln Parks & Recreation and UNL, PhD student Miyauna Incarnato and Professors Ana Vélez Arango and Kristi Montooth are investigating how monarch caterpillars are doing in urban versus prairie stands of common milkweed. Urban parks provide great space for planting native plants like milkweed that attract and sustain important insects. For monarchs, milkweed is their only host plant. We want to know: If we plant milkweed in urban spaces, do the caterpillars do as well as if we plant milkweed in the more protected prairies? |
You probably have seen the great fall migration of monarch butterflies. But did you know that the fall generation of monarchs can live up to 6-8 months, fly all the way to Mexico, overwinter, and then still have energy left over to fly back to the spring milkweed plants of the Southern US and lay the eggs that will make the next generation of caterpillars?!
With PhD student Cole Julick, we investigated how fall monarchs change their metabolism to prepare for this remarkable annual journey. By deploying Monarchs in Parks in Lincoln this summer and fall, Miyauna will discovery whether urban milkweed are as good as prairie habitat for supporting these migrating monarchs. |
Craig Chandler | University Communication
|
Proudly powered by Weebly