Awesome ya made my day!! I just went outside and looked at my plant and it looks like now it is just the casing of what was the larvae, so cAROL I think some have already hatched. I have about 5 more on the plant that actually look like there is something there. As far as bringing them inside I don't dare do that, I am scared I will kill them from the lack of experience of dealing with butterflies. I have been noticing butterflies for about 3 weeks. I spotted a few monarchs but mostly out in the woods, so Shirley that advice about cleaning out the bed is a perfect excuse that I totally buy. LOL Now lets hope my fennel and rue get a bit bigger or at least a good root before they are spotted!! Yippeee!!

Ants most definately eat butterfly eggs and 1st instar caterpillars (See below a section of an abstract). In fact, many plants, such as Senna, have what are called "extra floral nectaries". These are areas (usually little protruberances) that secrete nectar to attract ants. The ants in turn protect the plant from herbivores. There are lots of other things that eat eggs as well, ladybugs, tree crickets, lacewing nymphs. In addition, small wasps called chaclids, can lay their eggs inside butterfly eggs. This is why we often collect eggs and bring them to a safe place to raise. By the way, I have see a lot of chrysalises eaten by ants as well. They leave a nice neat hole, a little smaller than a pencil eraser. -Elisabeth Abstract I investigated variation in the effect of ants at extrafloral nectaries on the plant reproductive success among three populations of Cassia fasciculata (Leguminosae) in northern Florida. Results show that the possession of extrafloral nectaries can lead to increased reproduction. Density of ants and removal of experimentally placed Drosophila larvae were far higher on C. fasciculata than on nonnectariferous background plants. Ants preyed on eggs and small larvae of lepidopteran herbivores. C. fasciculata plants from which ants were excluded had more larvae of the major seed pod predator Phoebis sennae (Pieridae; Lepidoptera), suffered higher pod predation (at one site), and had lower reproductive output (at two sites) than did control plants to which ants had access. Effects of extrafloral nectaries on reproduction of C. fasciculata varied among the three populations, due apparently to differences in density of ants and potential herbivores.

My faith in humankind has been restored on this beautiful Lord's Day! As I prepare to go to Church & worship my God above, the one who has been taken out of schools, courthouses, & many homes in this day & time, it is so good to see a great bunch of people that are 'back to the basics I was brought up with, in rural NC. I feel that my love for nature & the 'calling to raise b'flies' has been given to me from God, it is the greatest therapy for a person that lives in daily agonizing pain, & I have done that since '82. It has gotten me off of the sofa, looking at soaps. Never was one to pop pills, though there were pills given by the various drs, for Lupus pain, Fibromyalgia pain, which is unrelenting, pain from 3 failed lower back surgeries, & so on. But I can go outside, among my plants, (with a very moderate amount of pain medication), which have always been a hobby all my adult life, & find a peace, unlike any other. Seeing the seeds planted, growing each day, & the growth spurt after the evening t-shower, more than if I had given a good dose of fertilizer, knowing the purity of the water released from the heavens above has a growing power unlike anything man can make. I am not a fanatic, but I do find a special inner peace watching the creation emerging from the chrysalis, knowing it "went in as a caterpillar", came out as a beautiful creation, & that amazing change was done by One greater than I or anyone I know, on this earth in the flesh, today. We all are doing our part to make this world a better place to live in. We are, I believe trying to help get back to that time when the earth was a cleaner place; before the dirt & smut was so in control. I can remember when a young teen guy wouldn't go out without his jeans being starched & ironed, with that sharp crease, & that button down collar wasn't just right. Some of you probably don't remember those days. But in sharp contrast, the more ragged, & dirtier they can look, the better they like it. No more neat clean hair styles, but unkept unruly, & dirtier they look the more "in" they are. I am not being judgemental, to each to his own. But to get out among the plants, gives me a sense of being in contact with something good & clean, no matter how bad the pain, or what is on my mind, I can find a sense of peace unlike any other place, during the normal weekday. I enjoy my Church & what I find there, but I feel I bring part of that home with me, in scripture I hear, sometimes it is reflected in my activities outside during the week. None comes to mind at the moment, but God is so good, to give us these beautiful creatures, & place the love in our hearts to want to help them. To go beyond planting the flowers, but to go that step further that some don't understand. Let them take one egg, watch it go through the stages of growth, into the pupa, then the beautiful chrysalis of the Monarch, especially, like a piece of jade that a master artisian sculpted, & flecked with gold, I sat in total awe when I saw my 1st one, & then to watch when it gets transparent, & see the new creature inside. And, on to the final stage, when that beauty of the spread drying wings is present, they are magestic. Nobody can tell me that came as a result of the 'big bang theory'! Not even sure what they say made the ocean that this big bang or whatever it was supposed to have been. Some magical force? No, a Creator, that loved us enough, & I won't go any further, but we are all giving nature some help that the world has taken away. And we wonder why there are guns in schools, & knives.. I well remember the shock in our small town when the "No guns or knives allowed on school property" sign went up! The very thought of this was shocking, & then the rest is history. We are doing our part to help keep our world a better place to live. I don't know of too many men or ladies who raise b'flies who shot their c-store operator, or robbed the bank, or turned out to be serial killers. Didn't mean to go on so, but I see God Almighty in every butterfly that I release, & I thank Him for giving me the 'want to' to do this hobby. I just found a picture that I took of my first BST & a little saying I felt inspired to write "For by watching the phases of the butterfly, from the egg, to the caterpillar, all the way tp the final stage, the beautiful butterfly; surely we see the Hand of God at work, before our eyes, in today's world, as in the days of old, and appreciate even more His Wonderous Love for us daily." The photo is old, & the ink of the writing is a bit smeared, but it is so special to me. This was before I knew anything about butterflies & the terms, etc. Love to you all & In God I do trust..monarchs

Cynthia, I'd love to see your Youtube video. What is the name or link? Wednesday I watched the PBS Nova program on TV about Monarchs and their unique migration pattern. It was made in 2011 before things got as bad as they are for this butterfly. Even if you saw it back then you may find it well worth watching again. The whole video is online. Sign in for high defination. Here is a link that might be useful: Follow the 2,000-mile migration of monarchs to a sanctuary in the highlands of Mexico.