

Monarchs and Milkweed
A Migrating Butterfly, a Poisonous Plant, and Their Remarkable Story of Coevolution
Author: Anurag Agrawal
Narrator: Stephen R. Thorne
Unabridged: 8 hr
Format: Digital Audiobook Download
Publisher: Tantor Media
Published: 12/08/2020
Categories: Nonfiction, Nature, Animals, Environmental Conservation & Protection
Includes:
Bonus Material
Synopsis
The monarch life cycle begins each spring when it deposits eggs on milkweed leaves. But this dependency of monarchs on milkweeds as food is not reciprocated, and milkweeds do all they can to poison or thwart the young monarchs. Agrawal delves into major scientific discoveries, including his own pioneering research, and traces how plant poisons have not only shaped monarch-milkweed interactions but have also been culturally important for centuries. Agrawal presents current ideas regarding the recent decline in monarch populations, including habitat destruction, increased winter storms, and lack of milkweed—the last one a theory that the author rejects.