The Milkweed Lands: An Epic Story of One Plant: Its Nature and Ecology

by Eric Lee-Mäder, Joan Edwards (Foreword), Beverly Duncan (Illustrator)

Delve into this fascinating appreciation of milkweed, an often-overlooked plant, and discover an amazing range of insects and organisms that depend on it as the seasons unfold, with this collaboration between a noted ecologist and an award-winning botanical illustrator.

Ecologist Eric Lee-Mäder and noted botanical artist Beverly Duncan have teamed up to create this unique exploration of the complex ecosystem that is supported by the remarkable milkweed plant, often over-looked or dismissed as a roadside weed. With stunning, up-close illustrations and engaging text, they trace every stage of the plant's changes and evolutions throughout the seasons, including germination, growth, flowering, and seed development. Simultaneously, they chronicle the lives of the many creatures whose lives are intertwined with the monarch butterflies; soldier and queen butterflies; milkweed tussock moths; large and small milkweed bugs; milkweed weevils; bumble bees; goldfinches; and more. The delightful illustrations and illuminating text give the reader the feeling of browsing an avid naturalist's sketchbook, while also learning about different milkweed species, how to propagate milkweed in the garden, the industrial uses of milkweed, interesting milkweed relatives, and more.

This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.


 

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Ecology

114 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2023

Reviews

[John H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Milkweed Lands is a beautifully-illustrated book about the often-maligned milkweed plant. This book discusses the wide variety of milkweed species, as well as the diversity of insects and other creatures that feed, live, or reproduce in and around milkweed plants. It also uses the milkweed plant to illustrate the negative effects that humans have had on our environment, as well as ways that that negative impact can be reduced.

This book covers a wide variety of topics centered around milkweed plants. The life cycle of milkweed is illustrated in this book by taking a detailed look at the existence of milkweeds throughout each season of the year, such as how milkweed rhizomes serve as a food source for prairie voles during the winter. The use of milkweed in hedgerows to provide wildlife habitat in areas that have been decimated by factory farming is also described. There are also descriptions of the many different types of insects that feed on milkweed, as well as the predators that feed on them.

The artwork in this book is wonderful, consisting of color illustrations that are full of detail. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in plants or ecology, or in just learning more about the natural world.

[Booknblues · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Milkweed Lands: An Epic Story of One Plant: Its Nature and Ecology is a lovely little book, which after reading, I longed for a hard copy. I allowed this book to take me off-track of my planned reading because I wanted to follow the monarchs down to their winter home and celebrate Dia de los Muertos with them.

Lee-Mader's book is so much more than the relationship of butterflies to milkweed and took me back to my childhood examining milkweed, their flowers, their seedpods and the sticky, milky substance which got all over my hands if I picked a flower. As a child, I learned they were a weed, but as an adult, I value them for their contribution.

Lee-Mader states in the book:
"Milkweeds are never far away. At least one of the many species of Asclepias grows in almost every state and should be known by all, but few of us recognize the depth of interdependency brokered by these plants.

Best known as the only food of monarch caterpillars, milkweeds provide a lifeline for that iconic endangered butterfly, but, as The Milkweed Lands demonstrates, the interactions go beyond this one relationship."



Lee-Mader values them as well and knows all about them and shares his knowledge with the reader. Reading the book, I felt it was an important one not just for those who admire butterflies but for gardeners and ecologists.

I was delighted to learn about an important farm in my very own county which grows milkweed and other native plants to use on a large scale for hedgerows and thereby encouraging wildlife of all kinds.

One cannot discuss the book without mentioning the beautiful illustrations by Beverly Duncan. I loved them and would love to hang a few in my house.

If you are interested in butterflies, gardening and nature, I highly recommend this book.

[Saliha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows that milkweeds are so much more than their well known relationship to Monarch Butterflies using a combination of beautiful illustrations and the author's personal anecdotes. Almost every page had a gorgeous illustration of some sort! I especially loved the author's comments on the nature of meadows at the end.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I imagine this book is best enjoyed in printed form, since the illustrations make up a big part of it. But even on Kindle, it was a fine read. The book is about milkweed in the broadest sense, focusing some on the plant itself but then expanding outward to examine the various fauna (not just monarch butterflies) that rely on milkweed throughout the year. Taking us season by season, the author examines what happens in and around the plant, both above ground and below. In doing so, the book does tend to wander a bit, following various side trails as they appear. But this is the kind of book where that mostly works; it evokes actually rambling around outside and exploring whatever elements of nature one happens to come across. Additionally, the author seeks to encourage a greater appreciation of "ditch weeds" in general, examining their critical environmental role and the downsides of constant mowing and pesticide application. Overall, it's a light read, but a pleasant and educational one.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book to review.

Wow, I loved this book so much. It is a beautiful ode to the Milkweed.

Although short and sweet, there is a lot of information in this book. It is filled with facts, detailed drawings, and some short stories. None of it felt dry or like the information was dragging on too long.

What is really showcased in these pages are the intersecting lifeways of the milkweed, including with various insects, animals, other plants, and human. I didn't know much about milkweed before except that it is food for the monarch. This book has made milkweed into a character of depth and full of life.

[Lynn Waugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

Taught me things I didn't know , and reminded me of things I did. I spent part of my childhood on the prairies of Nebraska , and prairie inspires good memories. Good discussion of land use , what used to be there before we changed it , and TBE effects our changes have. Ecology , plant structure , pests , reproduction , history..... All this in a book about milkweed plants. I really enjoyed reading it.

[David Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never feed to dairy cows

Full of facts, I especially liked the information about the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio river valleys. One piece of information that was missing is that Monarchs prefer to lay eggs on shorter/younger milkweed plants because they contain less latex.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The information and illustrations packed into this short book are amazing! They are beautiful, interesting and informing without being overwhelming. Themes of hope and resilience run throughout. Just lovely.