Will she make it through the Winter?
Look what I found on my Mexican Milkweed today!!
Well it's just sweet as can be Josephine! Paige can tell you for sure, though I am still seeing them flutter through here. The warmer weather might make a big difference too.
Very nice cat!
Deb
I hope she makes it, it sure is a beautiful one.
Yeah shes kinda silvery isn't she? Most of them have more white...muy hermosa! Mexican food always makes me speak Spanish lol.
Deb
mine are still laying too. I have several cats at different sizes
You are just too funny Deb!!
Congrats Josephine! It looks like it might be in one of it's last instars (stages) so it will probably make it's chrysalis soon. Do you have your milkweed in a pot? If you do you could protect it and watch it pupate. If it's in a pot something simple to use is one of those pop-up laundry hampers from Wal-Mart (about $3) and you could sit that down over the plant.
The weather is fine for it to stay outside. It just might not be there the next time you look for it. This could be the start of a new hobby for you! ;) Like you need something else to keep you busy!
Wow! That is great Josephine! I hope with seeds and plants I have gotten this year to increase my butterfly population and have a chance for a few cats to watch next year!
Thank you everyone, I was worried that it might not make it to adulthood.
Looks like it's well on its way to pupation! I can't tell for sure, does it have two pairs of feelers or three? I just yesterday found a small Queen caterpillar and a few eggs on a native milkweed vine, Purple Milkweed Vine, or Matela biflora. I check that area from time to time in case they get going on developing that land. I dug up a few of the vines a while back and have those plants. I was excited about the eggs and the caterpillar, because I've never found any eggs or caterpillars on any of the local native milkweed vines before this. I took them home to raise them, since I'm raising some other kinds of cats anyway. And I have so much milkweed that hasn't been used since the last bunch of Monarchs I had pupated.
Linda, it has two pair, one at each end.
Josephine.
Ah, so it's a Monarch for sure! I'm curious about the eggs on that milkweed vine also. Whether they're Queens or Monarchs. Almost all of the Monarch butterflies have gone by but there's still quite a few Queens flying around. Saw one in my yard today, in fact.
I will have to check and see what other beauties hatch.
Aye arriba...! lol Que Linda... :) Lookee at what I have on my Mex. Milkweed too! I found this wee baby this morning and took a proud photo. :) Can ya'll see the little critter? Can't wait to watch it grow. :)
Melanie
I can see it ! it will probably be a big guy before you know it, they do grow up fast.
Josephine.
Look for more...eggs or caterpillars. It's not often that there is only one. One female Monarch stopped by earlier this fall and within 3 or 4 days more than 50 eggs appeared. It was an experience raising those cats, that's for sure!
The eggs on the little milkweed vine are hatching...all so far are Queen cats, so cute! BTW, I've got a Monarch coming around the last couple of days. A Queen was there also, but couldn't get a good pic of it. The White Mistflower, Eupatorium havanense is getting popular with the butterflies! I have several of them.
Oh Linda, those are such pretty flowers! I just got one of those plants this fall, and I am hoping that it will do well for me.
Josephine.
I saw those at Rainbow today as well....they really are striking... :)
Melanie
If they are as easy as the Blue Mist is to propagate, you should try to get some plants started for the Spring RU!! ;-)) The BF's must love the white as much as the Blue!
My Blue Mist didn't do so well this summer...and I actually lost half of my plant...but the other half seems to be doing ok.. :) I saw either the same plant or something real similar growing wild all over the mountains in Big Bend National Park a few weeks ago. The blooms and leaves looked exactly like a Blue Mist.
Melanie
Oh, well, I sure do have a few volunteers of White Mistflower that I could bring!
This message was edited Nov 9, 2006 8:41 PM
Hmmm...I may have to take you up on that offer, Linda..lol :)