Does anyone notice a preference of one kind of milkweed over another for female monarchs to lay eggs on? I have Common milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, Whorled MW and A. curassavica. I have noticed a strong preference for the Common milkweed and Swamp milkweed. I think they use them about equally. Less commonly used is the A. curassavica and rarely they use the Whorled.
Monarch Milkweed preference?
I think the Monarchs like the tenderest leaves~~if the plant is in the tender leaf stage at just the right time I'm guessing they will go to that particular one~~except that I often hear that A. currassavica is very popular with them.
In my garden last summer they went for the A. incarnata Cinderella quite often. But maybe that was because it is in the most prominent position. I have four kinds of milkweed.
All kinds of opinions on this one. It will be interestin g to hear what everybody says.
Does anyone know what butterflies are attracted the the wild orange butterfly weed??? I have had one of these plants for several years and I know it is in the milkweed family, but honestly, I have never seen a butterfly on it.
hemlady.... Butterflies may or may not use the MW for nectaring, but it is definately used for a host plant. This meaning the female lays her eggs there and the caterpillar emerges and eats the leaves and flowers of the plant. Sometimes I never see the females come to the plants but will find eggs and growing cats there.
You would have to talk to someone about when you should start seeing the Monarchs in your area, as they only use MW as their host plants.
Oh I have already seen monarchs. I also have the common milkweed growing in my yard and a saw a female laying her eggs the other day. I always grow milkweed for them. My husband hates it but the smell of the flowers is intoxicating. I just love it. Thanks for your answer.
Great!
One Ohio Natural Resources article said the orange milkweed that you see growing along the highways around here is the most popular nectar plant for butterflies (around here~~maybe not true in TX or FLA) but in any case I thought that was a pretty strong statement for the plant. I can't say yay or nay to that though.
I have a few of them in our garden but the monarchs haven't yet laid their eggs on them. I think it's because those particular milkweeds are not so prominent. And are hidden by some of the A. incarnatas and coneflowers.
My sister down the road has 2 of the orange milkweeds and she seems to get Monarchs on hers. But hers are next to LIatris Ligulistylus which the Monarchs absolutely love to nectar on...
Just some random thoughts....only Mother Nature knows for sure!
Thanks. Its funny but after I said I never see butterflies on the orange milkweed, one landed on it yesterday. I couldn't tell what it was but I do know that it wasn't large enough to be a Monarch.