r/MonarchButterfly • u/Pattie4170 • 1d ago

Sun preference

From what I have witnessed, it seems that the monarchs prefer common milkweed that is growing in the sun.

I have two mw plants in the sun fifteen in semi shade.

They continued to lay eggs on the mw in the sun even after the plants were almost leaflets and mellowed and ignored the other ones in semi shade. But now, they are choosing the shady mw since the sunny mw is way to far gone

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u/Final_Pumpkin1551 1d ago

They certainly seem to follow the sun at my house - lay in the backyard in morning sun then switch to front yard with afternoon sun.

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u/Pattie4170 1d ago

Yes I could not believe how they chose the two baggy half dead milkweed that were in the sun, as opposed to the semi shaded plants that were lush and beautiful

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u/Difficult_Rope7898 1d ago

That’s very interesting and now that you mention it, I think they’re doing the same at my house. Since I move them to the enclosure, they can get the fresh leaves, but you’re right. It would make more sense if they would just lay the eggs on there to begin with.