Monarchs require secure patches of milkweed and nectar resources during breeding, roosting sites and safe travel corridors for migration. Milkweeds and monarchs in Washington occur in weedy fields and sparsely vegetated habitats, typically near wetlands or riparian areas. On their southbound travel corridors, often river courses, the butterflies require abundant late season nectar and trees for roosting at night and during periods of inclement weather. Like most butterflies, monarch adults rely on floral nectar for nutrition. The life cycle of the monarch butterfly is directly intertwined with their milkweed host (genus Asclepias). Monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed species, and resulting larvae and pupae develop on these plants. The milkweed plants’ chemical defense compounds are accumulated in monarch larvae, pupae, and adults and used to defend against their predators. The duration of complete development (from egg to adult) is dependent on weather conditions and can vary from 25 days to seven weeks.