High Survivorship of First-Generation Monarch Butterfly Eggs to Third Instar Associated with a Diverse Arthropod Community

Based on surveys of winter roost sites, the eastern migratory population monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in North America appears to have declined last 20 years and this has prompted implementation numerous conservation strategies. However, there is little information survivorship first-generation monarchs core area occupancy Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana where overwinter recovery begins. The purpose study was determine eggs third instars at a site north Texas evaluate host plant arthropods for their effect survivorship. Survivorship instar averaged 13.4% varied from 11.7% 15.6% over three years. plants harbored 77 arthropod taxa, including 27 predatory taxa. Despite abundance, neither predator abundance nor richness predicted survival. upon which survived often higher numbers non-predatory taxa more individuals These results suggest that ecological processes may buffered effects predators improved survival our study. creation diverse functional communities should be considered effective conservation, particularly southern latitudes.