Toxins in Technicolor? Exploring the Influence of Milkweed Host Plant on Monarch Wing Color & Defense

Monarch butterflies sequester toxins called cardenolides from milkweed host plants. This is signaled to predators via their aposematic orange & black wing coloration. We'll investigate the link between the milkweed species they consume as larvae and the intensity of their orange and black chemical defense signal. Join us at Speciation on Thursday, January 15th, 2026, to explore monarchs, their host plants, and the relationship between the two in time and space across a continental-scale landscape.