All of you Florida gardeners that fight the wild potato vine and the wild milkweed vine .I found a 5th instar monarch cat eatting on the leaves of the wild milkweed vine.I was amazed to see it.I've got a fence (Chain link) with all sorts of vines growing on it.Passion vine jasmine,potato vine, milkweed vine,cypress vine,cardinal flower vine,pipe vine.etc etc I've been grow tropical milkweed and swamp milkweed in one and three gallon pots for over the last year or so right next to that fence and have never noticed any cats on the milkweed vine on the fence and just thought they didn't eat that variety of milkweed.Untill today when i discovered that cat eatting away on it today. I'm going to keep an eye on that guy and if he keeps eatting it and survives it will be another food source for the cats when I run low on Tropical and the Swamp milkweed.
Monarch cat found on florida's wild milkweed vine
I would think that Monarch cats would survive when eating any kind of milkweed. Though, I didn't know that there was a milkweed vine. Would love to see a photo of this plant. (Hint, hint!) lol
Just an update on the cat that was found on the milkweed vine (Morrenia Odorata) strangler vine. He's enclosed and has been joined by about 5 or six other monarch cat's all just eatting away and getting fat and happy.Now feeding the monarch cat's is about the only good thing about that vine.That and the air potato vine will take over central Florida I'm sure.
We have wild milkweed vines growing out at the ranch...they can grow rampant. I've find obscura sphinx moth cats (I think that's what they were...can't remember as I tend to raise everything I find) feeding on them too...so if you see green caterpillars alongside the danaus species chances are you're gonna be raising moths too :o)
~ Cat
I've been reading some very interesting info on swallow-worts and milkweed vines. There are different kinds and all seem to be considered invasive. I'm just learning about it. It seems to be something that everyone should know about.
The honeyvine, Cynanchum laeve, will feed Monarch cats and they do survive. Cynanchum louiseae, Cynanchum nigrum and Vincetoxicum nigrum are black swallow-worts and seem to be what is so terribly invasive in some states and the one that the cats do not survive on.
Here are a couple of links that give some info on it and whether it's in your state:
http://ontariowildflowers.com/mondaygarden/article.php?id=191
http://plants.usda.gov/java/invasiveOne?startChar=C (scroll to almost the bottom of the page)
Thanks Paige for those links.
When I read about the vining Milkweed and Swallow-wort vines, I was surprised because I haven't heard anything about them. Sounds like a plant we definitely DO NOT WANT in our gardens. I have seen some vines in vacant lots around my area that look similiar and they are all over the place. Not sure if it's the same, but I don't want them in my yard! That's for sure!
Thanks for sharing those websites with all of us! Very good info.
I think that you probably will see them in your state. I had never heard of them and didn't see that they were reported here, other than the honeyvine. They seem to be a horrible thing, like Kudzu. If we know what to look for then we can be prepared! Keep your shovels handy!
Well just to confirm what's been stated milkweed vine (strangler Vine) Morrenia Odorata.The only good thing about is the flowers ,tiny clusters, smell great and monarch cats like the leaves.In the last week about 10 monarch's have been born from the vine on my chain link fence.I'd say I put about 6 cat's on the leaves because I'd run out of full milkweed plants to feed them in the butterfly cage. It is so true the vine is very invasive and I've been picking the seed pods off as soon as I see them form.I'm going to try and grow the plant in 1 gallon pots to see if I can supplement my milkweed .If I didn't already have the plant around my back yard I wouldn't be doing it.Seeming I already have it I'm going to try and make some good use out of it.
Sounds like a good idea to let the cats EAT this vine. I'm sure it will do well in a container since it grows so invasively. If you pinch the seed pods off before seeds develop, it should keep that plant manageable. Good use of a bad plant! lol
It looks like this vine is a milkweed vine, but not listed with these others. Could it be more confusing for me? lol It also looks like it's only in FL. If your cats are eating well and doing good, then it's useful at least! Keep us updated on their progress on it.
...exactly Becky! Those hungry cats might be able to take care of it quickly!
This message was edited Jan 15, 2007 12:30 PM