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Cater To Those Monarch Caterpillars!Read the article this discussion is about
This archived discussion is "read only". » terri_in_pa - Monarch Caterpillars Naomi,I have be fortunate to be able to witness the metamorphis of a monarch caterpillar to a butterfly the second season after i finished my gardens. I had been watching all the caterpillars, and there were a few of them, munching on my Alcepsias. Each day i would go to check them out. All but one disappeared. I had one chrysalis and it was on the milkweed. Each day i would check it out to see what was going on with it. Very close to the end, the chrysalis becomes transparent. I was actually able to see the wings of the butterfly through the casing! When that point came, i knew that it wouldnt be long before it would be born...So after i was outside to check it, i would come in the house and check it through my window...Within 5 minutes, it was born!! There it was, a wet, beautiful Monarch just sitting on the branch waiting to dry up. I continued to watch it, and i actually saw the wings drying out and "pumping" up...What an amazing sight to behold! This was my reward for a butterfly garden well done! Unfortunatly, i didnt have a good enough camera to get good shots, and havent been lucky enough to witness it again. Let's hope this will be the year that i get to witness this again! -- posted by terri_in_pa » Danno - Butterfly Gardening Naomi!OK OK, a great article on the butterfly. We get the Monarchs when they come thru on their way to Mexico. Some stick around a long while and others are gone right away. They are a sight to behold. I hope you will have some butterflies in July. We have a flower they call "never die" and mums, it seem to be the favorite haunt for our butterflies. Keep up the neat work Danno -- posted by Danno » Naomi_Mathews - Terri, how exciting! To see that Monarch actually break free and fly! Lucky you! I do hope that this year you will have that new digital camera loaded and ready to shoot some more great pictures...this time you might get the whole process, a little at a time, and close up! Do you remember what time of year you saw this Monarch emerge from its chrysalis, Terri?And, what do you suppose happened to the others you saw? Did they just "...leave without saying goodbye?" You'll have to get a "butterfly journal" Terri. Keep track of the first ones you see come to your flowers, then watch that milkweed and check it every day for eggs they may have laid! My goodness, you'll be a "butterfly nanny!" It does sound like you'll be all ready for them this year, what with your new pole garden going in now too. You're really getting it all together nicely. I'm still waiting for WARM weather. BUT, I did see it should be in the mid-70s by Thursday this week! (I'll believe it when I feel it!) I must tell you--for my birthday on Sunday one of my daughters gave me TWO buddleias--one dark red and one a bright pink!! They are sitting in their little pots on our deck, just waiting to get planted. They're already about 12-14 inches tall. Next, I'll have to scout out some asclepias at the nursery, and plant those on the north side of our house. I'm sure Madam Butterfly will be able to find them there! I'm not crazy about milkweed, but can sacrifice a spot on that side of the house as I rarely go over there. It's the side between us and our neighbor (with a fence we built between). I'm anxious to get the Buddleia planted, and will give them plenty of growing space--now that I got that awful juniper out of there! Thanks for stopping by again -- hope you enjoyed my article!
-- posted by Naomi_Mathews » terri_in_pa - Month of hatching.... was in early August i believe...i wish i knew where the other caterpillars went to. I have no real thoughts on where they could have gone..There was other "wild" milkweed on the property borders...but at that time i didnt think to look there. I also did see another type butterfly caterpillar which looks similar to a monarch one except it had red stripes with the green, black, and white stripes. He was munching on Asters for a couple of days, then he too disappeared...You can bet that i am ready with the camera, all loaded and set to go.WOW, your butterfly bushes sound pretty.. I love the pink ones, and have never seen the reds, how pretty they must be! I dont care for the blue ones, the flowers seem to get lost in the view.I must get to the garden center to see if they have the red ones...I just may incorporate them in the pole garden! The weather here when i am off isnt cooperating with me so i havent even started the pole garden yet..At the rate i am progressing it may be in May before it is all said and done. I thoroughly enjoyed your article...informative as always, and delightful to read! take care, terri -- posted by terri_in_pa » terri_in_pa - oh Naomi.... one more thing....The Ascelpsis was in between the 2 butterfly bushes..you may want to plant some "butterfly" flowers near your milkweed to entice them to lay their eggs there!-- posted by terri_in_pa » Naomi_Mathews - Danno! So nice to see you were here! Thanks for stopping by and reading my article! (-:I'd sure love to have you take some photos of those Monarchs for me this fall, Dan. Then you could just scan some and send me a couple of jpegs for my articles! Right? Do you get as many of those as you do the "Sandhill Cranes?" I've never heard of a flower called "never die" .. but we do have mums, and the butterflies hang out around them in late fall. And YES! We should have lots of butterflies in our yard by July! (-: Your Washington "butterfly" cuz!
-- posted by Naomi_Mathews » Naomi_Mathews - Monarch butterflies Terri, I guess I will take your suggestion and plant at least one asclepia between the butterfly bushes. I DO want the butterflies to lay their little eggs on their leaves! If I get the "pretty" kind, it will be okay--they have some nice pink colored ones. It's the "orange" blossoms I don't care for, but the buddleia should pretty much hide them anyway.I have to make a trip to the nursery and take a look, probably do that tomorrow. You should see my pink flowering cherry tree in our front yard! AND, also my pink flowering almond. They are both in full bloom right now. I'm going to get pictures tomorrow, as the wind will blow off all their little blossoms if it keeps blowing as it has been. Also have a white spirea bush in full bloom! That should bring a few butterflies around. Oh, and I also got a new "Stokes Butterfly Book" from one of my daughters! Beautiful pictures, and tons of good information and "how to" stuff in it! -- posted by Naomi_Mathews Please follow the guidelines set forth in the Suite101 Posting Etiquette when adding to the discussion. |
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