Milkweed will Help Save the Monarch Butterfly

For residents of Illinois, officials are urging the public to help in an effort to save the Monarch butterfly population--also known as their state symbol.

The population has slowly dwindled since the mid-1990s, according to spokesman of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Chris Young.

"A key part of their habit is their host plant for caterpillars, which are plants with the milkweed family," Young said, via CBS Chicago.

Known for their brilliant, vibrant colors, a recent study shows that when these insects miss a meal, not only do they lose brightness, but the insignificant nutrients could also lead to smaller wings and a weaker group. National Geographic notes that butterflies can take longer to make their 3,000-mile migration with a smaller set, according to a study published in the April 2 addition of the journal PLOS ONE.

In order for the butterflies to foster and grow, Krauser recommends that locals start allowing milkweed to grow in their yard or garden.

"Plants like milkweeds grow readily along roadsides, edges of fields. They'll do just fine on their own, as long as we let them," he said. "If you tear the leaves, it's got that white, milky sap - it's really sticky - that comes out. That's one of the things as a kid, when you're out playing and you tear the leaves and you learn about that sort of milky sap."

Krauser adds that as birds don't like the taste of caterpillars who feed off of milkweed, this plant may work as a great source of protection for future populations.