Asclepias

Asclepias for string orchestra is a musical description of the life cycle of Asclepias, the milkweed plant. The piece is inspired by the insects that have adapted alongside it: monarch caterpillars and butterflies, tussock moths, milkweed bugs, and red milkweed beetles. These insects have evolved resistance to the plant’s toxins, allowing them to feed on it for nourishment. By consuming its toxic sap, many also sequester its chemical defenses and display vibrant colors and patterns that warn off their own predators—a protective gift derived from the plant itself.