Effects of Copper Sulfate on Monarch Butterfly Growth and Morphology

On the Lower East Side, there are 53 community gardens where community members grow and maintain their plants. One plant that is grown in abundance and is a common one, is milkweed. Milkweed is the primary food source that monarch caterpillars consume to aid their development into fully-fledged butterflies. Despite numerous efforts to elevate the monarch population, the heavy metal contamination (lead and arsenic) of the last century has caused pollution in the soil, air, and water. This project focused on spraying different concentrations of copper sulfate, a heavy metal alternative, onto milkweed samples for the monarchs to feed on. The purpose of this project is to understand the effects of toxic heavy metals on monarch butterfly morphology, growth, and survival rates.