Plant It and They Will Come part 6

I have seen very few butterflies this year, not even very many cabbage whites.
I have a heavily planted yard with lots of native plants and I have something blooming from early spring to late fall. I also have included lots of host plants like pussytoes, Zizia, baptisia,little bluestem as well as the nectar plants.
I have 3 types of milkweed, butterflyweed, purple and swamp. The butterfly weed has now seeded itself along the sidewalk strip in 6 large clumps and a number of smaller groups.
I haven't seen any Monarchs for the past 2 years.

I do have lots of bees though, and right now they are visiting the anise hyssop, Mt. mints, coneflower and native honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, in large numbers.
The Stokesia, Stokes aster just about finished blooming but that was also a big draw for the bees, lots of honey bees on those.

This message was edited Jul 16, 2015 5:14 AM

Thanks, Muddy and Greenthumb. I wasn't aware of the underground spreading rhizomes--was assuming it was like my other milkweeds. I'll try moving my one plant to an area more remote from my main garden beds. I'm not sure whether it's put down much of a taproot yet.

Sempervirens, sounds like you are providing them with everything they need. A lot of us are seeing fewer butterflies.

I have a lot of bees and beneficial insects in my garden, and also a lot of skippers and cabbage whites. I do see other butterflies, particularly hairstreaks, azures, and sulphurs, but not as many or as much diversity as I would like. I get more skippers when I have large areas of unmowed lawn, as many species breed in grasses. I have only had a few BST cats so far.

I think this fall I will not cut plants back, as I think in doing so chrysalises are inadvertently disposed of.

This is the first year for me growing Common Milkweed. Started last year from NorthCreek plugs and some transplants from Muddy and Sallyg that they dug up for me and some second year plants in gal pots from Chesapeake Natives. I kept 15 NorthCreek plugs (up potted into 4" pots) that were the 'smallest' over winter. None of the gifts from Muddy or Sallyg survived in their one and 3 gal pots. All but one of the Ches Natives survived and are doing ok still in their 1 gal pots.

When I went to up pot the NC plugs shortly after emergence, I couldn't lift the flat as roots from about half the pots had escaped the pot and grown down thru the weed block into the soil. They were all not showing any roots out the pot holes when I set them there in the late fall and covered them over. Each of the pots I was able to remove from the flat had a 12 -15 inch tap root coiled like a spring in the bottom of the pot. They are growing ok in their new 3 gal pots.

The last pot had to be cut away from plant and carefully dug out of the sandy soil. I also had to cut away the flat and the weedblock because as I discovered, this particular plant was on a mission and purpose driven!

You see, I believe that the goal and purpose of Common Milkweed is not merely (like most other flowering plants) to put down roots, flower and seed and thus perpetuate itself and its species. I believe the goal of Common Milkweed, forged over centuries with the Monarch is to establish a colony, acolony that could send out is chemical tracers 25 miles for the wandering Monarch to sence, acolony where a mama Monarchcould lay a good batch of her 300 eggs before moving on, knowing those cats could find enough food to achieve transformation, where there were new shoots amongst the mature for even the tiniest to munch on , and seeds pollinated from another mother colony ensuring genetic diversity, soon to be dispersed to possibly form another near enough waystation to sustain another leg in the intergenerational journey from Mexico and back. Monarchs need colonies of Milkweed not just stand alone deep rooted plants. Common Milkweed can feed almost three times the number of hungry cats as the same size plot of Swamp or any other of our native species. And, until all of our climate and weather pattern changes, the Milkweed and Monarch timing was just right and optimum most years.

So. I do not consider Common Milkweed to be that scary word "agressive" and thank god it and the Monarchs are as persistant as they are and pray that it may ever be so in our lifetimes and that of our decendants!

And Catmint,, here is a link to "8 Tips for Transplanting Milkweed"
https://monarchbutterflygarden.net/how-to-successfully-transplant-milkweed-taproots/

Here are some pics of that final pot of Common Milkweed on its way to establishing a beach head colony here where it won't be sprayed, mowed down, and I can monitor for eggs and cats and predators of same. I can also collect the eggs for raising indoors where they will have a 95% survival rate instead of the 2% in the wild. I can also test emerging adults for OE disease and take action if it appears.

1 - 3 Plants remaining after I dug out original
4 pic is of 8 - 10 little plants I dug out on the way from same plant.. some doing better than others
Last pic original plant from 4" pot up potted in 15 gal

coleup, you might be of service to this question
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1400849/

I took a close look at my stealth seed-sowing area today and was very excited to see lots of plants growing from seeds I sowed! For whatever reason, maybe because it is along a road, deer don't browse as much there as they do in the forest so stuff actually grows!

For now, the only things blooming are plants that were there already: various species of milkweed and lots of Partridge Pea (larval host for Cloudless giant sulpher, Orange sulphur and Sleepy orange butterflies), but I saw New England Asters I know weren't there last year : - ) Fingers crossed that deer don't nip them in the buds.

This homely-looking pollinator was enjoying some of the Milkweed.

I think you just insulted a male Delaware Skipper.

You are all scaring me!!!!

My ONE plant of Swamp Milkweed, in my raised bed, took til it's 3rd year to bloom.
It is getting to be quite a large plant with several stalks--all blooming this year.

PLEASE tell me this is NOT going to be invasive and just stay as this ONE plant!
If it is going to be invasive--I am digging it up and getting rid of it.
I DO NOT have room in this bed for anything "monstrous"....
Please let me know...... Gita

1--My Swamp Milkweed in June
2--Neww blooms on the growing plant
3 &4 --July, 2015

What is your verdict? Keep--or toss????

ALL I ever wanted in the beginning was a clump of Butterfly Weed--
with the pretty orange blooms.

LOL Greenthumb!

Gita, Swamp Milkweed won't become invasive as long as you deadhead it. Definitely keep it.

Congratulations on your success with the natives, Muddy.

LOL--congrats on that *beautiful* male Delaware skipper, Muddy!

Muddy--
More questions...Does the Swamp Milkweed have an extensive root-system?
Like a tap root....or otherwise spreading roots?

Look at my bloom pictures--will they dry up when ripe? Then I can dead-head them.
Right now--they still look pink.

So far--I have not seen any butterflies on it. Just that black Wasp in the picture above.

I saw this butterfly flutter from phlox to phlox while ignoring all of the other flowers.

What's this other insect? It was resting on an oakleaf hydrangea leaf.

It is some species of katydid.

Gitagal, The swamp milkweed does not have the extensive root system common milkweed does.

I have grown swamp milkweed for 20 years. I never dead head because it only gently seeds for me. Frequently older plants die out so the newly seeded ones are welcome.
It doesn't seem to be a vigorous plant for me. I had a high of 6 plants, now I'm down to 2.
If you want to move plants or remove plants that is very easily done.

I do try to have a bigger mass of milkweeds to attract Monarchs to lay their eggs.

So I do have the butterfly weed and purple milkweed in larger numbers.
Neither of those have extensive taproot systems either.

And finally a monarch was seen yesterday.

Also have black swallowtails and cats on the bronze fennel which is considered an invasive plant that reseeds wildly and has a taproot that is extremely deep and hard to remove.
I am trying to replace that plant with Zizia.
The Zizia also reseeds widely but is easy to remove and it is a native plant for me.

Gita, super seed saver that you are, please DO NOT deadhead your swamp milkweed! After blooms dry, it will form seed pods very similar to the ones your Tropical MW formed last year, long and skinny. Let the pods mature and then collect them. (If you are 'worried' about them spreading seed in your garden, jus tput a rubber band around them while they ripen,

Monarch Watch, a national organization collects seeds from each eco-region around the country, propagates starter MW from those gardener collected seeds and sells them back to gardeners in need from the region the seeds came from on their Milkweed Market Place. They are non profit and also give away free seeds to schools etc. They are looking for swamp MW seeds from our area.
http://monarchwatch.org/bring-back-the-monarchs/milkweed/milkweed-regions-seed-needs/
http://monarchwatch.org/milkweed/market/

Swamp Milkweed is shallow rooted and easy to move around, again like the Tropical from last year, and it doesn't spread by underground rhyzome.

Beautiful photo of your tiger swallowtail, Terri! Also love the katydid. :-)

Judy--
I was SOOO hoping my Tropical Milkweed would germinate from seeds I sowed.
NOPE! I scattered many seeds in the 'lost" bed by the fence--but none came up.
I had hoped to contribute a small patch of them for the Monarchs. Maybe next year?
What would have been the best time to seed these? I think I screwed up--
did it in the Spring of this year...

Since I cannot use this bed, nor plant anything in it--I envisioned it filled with
Tropical Milkweed. The soil there is pretty good--just full of small Maple roots.

OK! I will save the seeds in the pods of the Swamp MW for you, Judy.
Hope they will be ripe by the Fall Swap. BTW--WHEN is it--and WHERE???
Jills?????

Gita

1--Here is the ,henceforth called,--"Lost Bed". Just so you know what I am talking about.
The big pot on the left is where m y tropical Milkweed grew last summer.
Coleup--I think you gave me the seedlings.
Just to the left of the big pot is where my YUK bed starts.

2--A bit closer look at the "Lost bed"....I have some Rosemaryand some DL's
growin in the left side of it. Lots of room for MW!

3--My ONLY Epi #2 bloom this summer.....

4--Here is my "Raised Bed"--which I have planted full of BIG plants just to fill it up.
Cannas. Daturas, DL's.--Cleomes--The Swamp MW is smack in the center.
My Amaryllis pots are on the cinder blocks in front of it.

5--Nice shot of where my Felicias Phlox resides. The light on the pole
is called "The Moon"...it is on 24/7. Keeps the back yard lit up a bit.
The light pole is 6' tall--just so you can see how tall the Phlox is.

Just trying to "acquaint" those of you that have never been here with areas of my garden
and what I call what....
G.

Thanks, Catmint, and thanks for the ID, GT! That katydid was so interesting. It just sat there as I moved around it, shoving hydrangea leaves out of the way for a better picture.

I've been seeing a ton of praying mantis everywhere. Catmint, I can't remember where you wrote it, but I don't clean up my yard in the fall, either. Every winter I see sacs of praying mantis eggs and also spider eggs.

Sempervirens, I have bronze fennel that has reseeded very aggressively, but it only happens when I don't harvest all the seeds. The seedlings have been really easy to pull up and repot. I was also able to relocate a mature bronze fennel, which surprisingly survived the transplant. But I wouldn't recommend planting it if you're not able to deadhead. There were so many seedlings!

Too funny about the bronze fennel, SSG--the same thing happened to me! :-D Little sprouts of bronze fennel everywhere. :-) but agree they've been easy to pull up. My dill also reseeded up a storm.

I have good pods on my swamp milkweed. Maybe I can send to them.

I found and killed two milkweed beetles on my swamp milkweed today.

Found and undecided about a batch of milkweed tussock moth cats....thumbs up or down?

If you let them go for a day or two you will have less difficulty deciding. ;-) Remember, they have stinging hairs.

I believe I have handled them to no great ill effect. Except, the first time Gita and I drove to Jill's, one came off my plant and was in my shirt- itchy!!

You mean, because they can strip whole stems of common Milkweed? But they're pretty cats, and part of the ecosystem, right?

In my case I don't have drifts of common milkweed. If I did I'd be more hospitable, but I am loath to have my purple milkweed completely stripped and possibly killed the way Milkweed Leaf Beetles did in your swamp milkweed and some of mine. I am very tolerant of insects feeding on my plants except when they threaten the survival of those plants.

Sounds right, as long as they don't strip all the foliage and extract all the sap the way the Milkweed Leaf Beetles do. Keep an eye on them,

Will do--thanks, Greenthumb! :-)

I took a few photos while I was out watering today and tried to ID them. 2 and 3 are just guesses, so please correct me if you know better!

#1 - easy - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. I'm surprised this photo turned out as well as it did because I was shooting into the sun!

#2 - possibly a Peck's Skipper http://www.marylandbutterflies.com/pages/grassskippers_PecksSkipper.html

#3 - Silver-spotted Skipper on the right ? http://www.marylandbutterflies.com/pages/Spreadwingedskippers_Silver-SpottedSkipper.html

Yes
Yes
Yes

Yay!
Yay!
Yay!

Thanks for that Maryland Butterflies link, coleup, it's very user-friendly.

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtails have been flitting through my yard just waiting for the Joe Pyes to open enough to hang out for a good long time and nectar to their hearts content. Silver spotted skippers here are loving the Agastache just like last year.

Muddy, which butterfly bush is that? Nice color bloom.

This was hanging out on my hardy geraniums one morning last week New one for me.

Thanks, coleup. I believe it is 'Miss Ruby' https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/buddleia/miss-ruby-butterfly-bush-buddleia-x

That is a wild-looking pollinator you have there!

Edited to add that I think it's a Clymene Moth (Haploa clymene).

This message was edited Jul 26, 2015 10:45 PM

It is a Clymene Haploa Moth - (Haploa clymene), active during day and night

http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Clymene-Haploa-Moth

This site has a list of insects and bugs with pictures by State

Great skipper photos, Muddy, and cool looking moth, Coleup!

I was delighted to have this tiger swallowtail linger in my yard for much of yesterday afternoon. She really enjoyed my Phlox 'Jeana'! There has also been a male tiger swallowtail visiting from time to time, although yesterday I saw that part of his wing was torn. :-( Anyway, hoping for some babies! :-) My serviceberry, spicebush, peach tree, and lilacs should all make good host plants for them.

The bees have been loving the mountain mints and lots of other blooms, too! :-)

Cool butterflies Muddy. Thanks for the id on the Silver Spotted Skipper. I have a bunch of these coming around my zinnias and I wasn't quite sure what they were. They are so fast though, it's tough to get a picture.

Skippers are some of the fastest butterflies having been clocked at 35+ mph! I think dragonflies can go pretty fast, too. Saw some great ones on hike ysterday, orange, white and a very pale irridescent blue.

Catmint how wonderful to hang out with the swallowtail lady! And thanks for mentioning those possible 'host' plants for them as I have one or two so maybe more cats. I also have wild cherry and yellow poplar trees. No wonder they fly so high up compared to Monarchs who lay their eggs much closer to the ground! I see she also likes Asclepias tuberosa, the richest in nectar of the general 3-4 types of milkweed around our area. What other butterflies does your Butterfly Weed attract?

That Mountain Mint is gorgeous! How long has it been blooming like that? Mine is just starting (Thanks Greenthumb!!!!) but it is in quite a bit of shade. Wouldn't that look great with Muddy's 'Miss Ruby'?

Beautiful butterfly pictures!

Did anyone know that female Eastern Tiger Swallowtails can mimic the color of Pipevine Swallowtails? I sure didn't. I just stumbled on this: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_tiger_swallowtail.htm

thanks, SSG! :-)

That is very interesting, Muddy. The link that was shared earlier in this thread (by Coleup? Muddy?) also illustrates this. It is my favorite link now for photos of the different swallowtails! :-)
http://www.pbase.com/rcm1840/swallowtails_papilionidae

Coleup, my info on host plants comes from the database kept by the Natural History Museum of London--a link that Greenthumb shared ages ago and which I have grown to treasure.
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/hostplants/search/index.dsml

She spent a little bit of time sipping around at different plants, including the butterfly weed, but mostly she hung out with the phlox 'Jeana' for some reason! The butterfly weed seems to attract just about everything that flies through--must be the bright orange. Bees especially seem to like it.

The bees are *all over* the mountain mints (P. muticum)! A tremendous variety of them buzzing all around. Mine is planted in part sun-- gets good sun in the middle of the day. It first bloomed on June 26 and has been going strong since then.

I'm not so sure about plant it they will come. In past years I've left my lettuce go to seed and attracted a flock of gold finches, this year almost nada. May be they don't like the variety or the low fat dressing. LOL We have a good number of butterflies but only a sporadic showing of Monarchs. Hummers, on the other hand are in abundance, on a good day they will go through upward of a half pint of nectar.