Saw some monarch catepillars on the milkweed plants this morning. I grow the milkweed just for the monarchs, so it doesn't bother me that the catepillars totally denude the milkweed. It reseeds like crazy, so there are always new ones coming up.
Monarch catepillars
Yay for you! I have tons of it coming back from seed! I'm so excited. I plant it for the Monarchs, but love the plant itself. Do you get the email from Monarch Watch? It would be fun to have my garden be a "Monarch Waystation"!
http://www.MonarchWatch.org/ws/
The one that does the best in my yard is the African one, curvassica, I think. Gets those yellow aphids and the sooty mold, but that doesn't seem to bother the catepillars. I never see any chrysali, just the monarchs and catepillars.
Last year I could have told you which one mine was, but I've slept since then. I've always heard it was not perennial but I have quite a few coming back from the original plant. Maybe because we didn't have a bad winter. I bring my cats inside to raise when they are in their last instar or near that point. Last year I had about 40 at one time!
Konkrete, what are they attached to? We get lots of cats on the milkweed, but I never see a chrysalis.
Asclepias curvassica is an annual while A. tuberosa is perennial. A. curvassica is said to reseed itself readily, although, mine did not.
I am pretty sure I've got the A. tuberosa. Calalily, they are the top of a wooden box that my dad made for me to keep them in. It has 3 screen sides and one plexiglass. It's been really great but it's getting time for a new one. It got left in the rain once and that wasn't good. There's a tiny gap SOMEWHERE that the cats are actually escaping from! I can't imagine how because I can't see one anywhere. Oh well, I can only try so hard. lol
Hi, everybody--I have been lurking here trying to learn about monarchs and trying to figure out what plants to put in to attract them...then I looked at your addresses and wondered if monarch 'growers' have to be in really mild zones?
I checked out milkweed on the Monarch watch site, and forgot to look at the climate info...I thought monarchs came up to Ohio, but maybe not...
Anyway, if possible, we would like the be a 'waystation' too.. http://www.ku.edu/%7ekunews/2005/April/Apr21/monarch.shtml
what do you experts think?
Glad you joined in tabasco! I'm sure that you should be able to attract them in your state. I know of several people that live in your area or East and always have Monarch's feeding in their garden. I know they keep lots of different types of nectar plants, but I am not sure what kind of milkweeds they are growing. Probably just the same kind we are, but they probably won't be perennial. Mine reseeded so well that it doesn't seem to make a difference. Monarch watch tried to start a forum but I don't think it did very well. I'll ask my friend who lives in Ohio what he's got planted and get back to ya.
thanks, k. and everyone,
I found a butterfly page from the Ohio Dept. of Nat. Resources that talked about Monarch cat. plants, so they must breed here. http://ohioline.osu.edu/w-fact/0012.html
And so I planted some milkweed (tuberosum since Hugahosta mentioned somewhere that common milkweed is listed as 'noxious' in our area)...and I found out I already have several butterfly nectar plants in our yard so I am good to go, I think...
My sisters in San Diego and Seattle told me about Monarch Watch and the certification program---they want our family to do it and to find other interested monarch butterfly enthusiasts. It sounds kind of fun to me.....and besides, you get a sign for your yard! lol
I mentioned the Monarch Watch waystation idea on another thread...maybe we should make a separate thread for those interested in doing it?...
Thanks. t.
Sure, we might as well make a separate thread. Especially since I've already lost one thread that I think someone was talking to me. LOL (My watched threads are like my emails, I must read them but usually have to come back to reply, then I forget)