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The egg laying habits of Monarch Butterflies were observed in laboratory and field settings to determine what effect the presence of Black Swallowwort had on the behavior.
It was discovered through laboratory experiments, that Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on the invasive weed. The eggs laid on Black Swallowwort hatched, however, all first instar larvae died after feeding on the leaves.
A similar experiment was conducted in a large outdoor cage under more natural conditions.
The results supported the findings of laboratory tests.
To discover if this behavior was occurring in nature, a field study was conducted throughout various sites in Rhode Island.
Eggs were found on Black Swallowwort in areas were it grew in close proximity to Milkweed.
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