Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2018 Monarch butterfly preference and use of nine Midwestern milkweed species Victoria Marie Pocius Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Entomology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, and the Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons Recommended Citation Pocius, Victoria Marie, "Monarch butterfly preference and use of nine Midwestern milkweed species" (2018). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 16438. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/16438 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Monarch butterfly preference and use of nine Midwestern milkweed species by Victoria Marie Pocius A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program of Study Committee: Diane M. Debinski, Co-Major Professor John M. Pleasants, Co-Major Professor Dean C. Adams Amy L. Toth Sue L. Blodgett The student author, whose presentation of the scholarship herein was approved by the program of study committee, is solely responsible for the content of this dissertation. The Graduate College will ensure this dissertation is globally accessible and will not permit alterations after a degree is conferred. Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2018 Copyright © Victoria M. Pocius, 2018. All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION “Around here we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” -Walt Disney To my family, friends, and mentors, thank you for inspiring me to always move forward. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT ..........................................................................................................ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................ 1 Literature Cited ................................................................................................ 6 CHAPTER 2: PERFORMANCE OF EARLY INSTAR MONARCH BUTTERFLIES ( DANAUS PLEXIPPUS L.) ON NINE MILKWEED SPECIES NATIVE TO IOWA .............................................................................................. 12 Abstract .......................................................................................................... 12 Introduction .................................................................................................... 12 Methods and materials................................................................................... 16 Results ........................................................................................................... 20 Discussion ..................................................................................................... 25 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................ 31 Literature Cited .............................................................................................. 32 CHAPTER 3: MILKWEED MATTERS: MONARCH BUTTERFLY (LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE) SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT ON NINE MIDWESTERN MILKWEED SPECIES ..................................................... 40 Abstract .......................................................................................................... 40 Introduction .................................................................................................... 41 Materials and methods................................................................................... 44 Results ........................................................................................................... 48 Discussion ..................................................................................................... 54 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................ 60 Literature Cited .............................................................................................. 61 iv CHAPTER 4: MONARCH BUTTERFLIES DO NOT PLACE ALL OF THEIR EGGS IN ONE BASKET: OVIPOSITION ON NINE MIDWESTERN MILKWEED SPECIES ........................................................................................ 70 Abstract .......................................................................................................... 70 Introduction .................................................................................................... 71 Materials and methods................................................................................... 76 Results ........................................................................................................... 80 Discussion ..................................................................................................... 84 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................ 90 Literature Cited .............................................................................................. 91 CHAPTER 5: COMMON GARDEN STUDIES SUGGEST MONARCH BUTTERFLIES SHOW OVIPOSITION PREFERENCES AMONG NINE MILKWEED SPECIES NATIVE TO IOWA ....................................................... 101 Abstract ........................................................................................................ 101 Introduction .................................................................................................. 102 Materials and methods................................................................................. 106 Results ......................................................................................................... 111 Discussion ................................................................................................... 120 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................... 128 Literature Cited ............................................................................................ 129 CHAPTER 6: GENERAL CONCLUSION ......................................................... 139 Conclusions ................................................................................................. 143 Literature Cited ............................................................................................ 146 APPENDIX: MILKWEED TRAIT TABLE ........................................................... 147 v LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 2.1 Differences in mass (mg) among larvae fed excised leaves of nine native milkweed species. .......................................................... 22 Figure 2.2 Differences in head capsule width (mm) among larvae fed excised leaves .................................................................................. 23 Figure 2.3 Differences in mass among larvae fed whole plants ....................... 24 Figure 3.1 Visualization of Kaplan- Meier survival probability ........................... 50 Figure 3.2 Percent of monarchs surviving from 0-5 days as larvae (A), 0-10 days as larvae (B), 0-14 days during pupation (C pupation), and from neonate to adulthood (D).......................................................... 51 Figure 3.3 Differences in relative adult lipid content ......................................... 55 Figure 4.1 Pictures of each of the nine milkweed species ................................ 73 Figure 4.2 Average total eggs counted per female ........................................... 82 Figure 4.3 Average total eggs laid per female on each plant (A), the untransformed average number of eggs per centimeter of plant height (B), and the average percentage of eggs laid on each milkweed species (C) from the oviposition choice study. ................. 83 Figure 4.4 Average total eggs laid per female on each plant............................ 84 Figure 5.1 Map of milkweed demonstration plot locations .............................. 107 Figure 5.2 Milkweed plot arrangement. .......................................................... 108 Figure 5.3 Milkweed demonstration plot at the Allee Research Farm ............ 109 vi LIST OF TABLES Page Table 2.1 Cardenolide concentration of nine native milkweeds. ........................ 24 Table 3.1 Mean adult measurements ................................................................ 52 Table3.2 Mean pupal measurements ............................................................... 53 Table 5.1 Pairwise Comparisons for total number of eggs laid on each milkweed species during June-August 2015 .................................. 114 Table 5.2 Pairwise Comparisons for total number of eggs laid on each milkweed species during June-August 2016 .................................