Check out the caterpillars just eating away. I have never seen this many before. They are everywhere!
My Butterfly Weed is almost eaten!
Here's another one!
My butterfly weeds look like a tornado hit. Some of them are only sticks!
That's some nice healthy looking cats you have there. Sure hope wasps or birds don't get them.
Almost all the caterpillars disappeared last night. Do they look like they are ready to change into butterflies. I hope nothing got them!
Those cats look pretty healthy and full to me. I bet they are busy making that chrysallis.
Elaine
Thanks, Elaine! I was worried something got them. There's only 1 left and it's one I moved from another area. I'm planting more of these plants. They are amazing. I have the orange and yellow Asclepias tuberosa.
I had two pots of butterfly weed sitting in pots in my "nursery" area one year and they got loaded with Monarch cats. The cats started disappearing and I couldn't figure out what was happening to them (scared the birds were getting them). I finally spotted all their chrysallises up under the eaves of the house. My grandkids were so excited because they got to see one while it was drying it wings. We watched for several minutes and it finally flew away. Now we raise some inside every year and they just love it!
I think next year I will raise some inside so I can make sure to see them fly away.
Echinacea,
If you raise cats one time, you'll be thoroughly hooked! Have you read the sticky note at the top of this forum? Lot's of good advice.