Monarch Mandala
48 x 80 acrylic on wood panel
A mandala with Monarch butterflies and a few of the species monarch butterflies have a direct relationship with. Monarch caterpillars feed on milkweed the female monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed. Milk weed also has a toxin which is stored in the monarch’s tissue, which makes the monarch inedible to many potential predators. Blue Jays, Orioles, and Cardinals are resistant to the toxin and prey on monarchs. Predation is part in a healthy ecological loop.
Flower species like bee balm, echinacea,, wild marigold, aster, and verbena provide nectar for the monarch and other nectar consuming pollinators. I’m greatly inspired by the mechanisms of the natural world with its many intricate connections.
