I have a milkweed vine that I believe is called a white vine (Sarcostemma clausum). It is rampant in my garden now. I have never seen a monarch use it for eggs. I do have a bunch of monarchs around and I don't know what they are using for larval food, since I have many tropical milkweed plants growing in different places. When I break off a piece of this vine the white milkweed comes out. I wonder if this is the same with the other vines that you guys are discussing? I live in Central Florida zone 9B. I think the white vine has come up from southern Florida and is doing well here because of the very mild weather we have had the past four or five years. Casara, it would be helpful to know where you live.

I can only tell you what I did to, hopefully, solve my MW aphid problem. Mine had gotten so bad, the leaves were turning yellowish. I cut the plants back severely (I didn't have caterpillars at the time), put the debris in the garbage, and sprayed insecticidal soap all over the leaves and aphids that were left. It killed the aphids, but I noticed that some of the leaves withered, like maybe the insecticidal soap was too much for them, too. So, I cut the MW back some more and began just killing the few aphids left by squishing the leaves they were on with two fingers. I check again, and if I miss one I squish that one, too. The MW/Asclepias curassavica grew back rapidly with lots of pretty new leaves, and, since that time, I inspect the leaves every day, and, if I find aphids I squish them. This doesn't hurt the leaves, just turns my fingers yellow. I don't miss a day, because it's amazing how so many can come back so quickly! I also quit using insecticidal soap, because there's no use depending on something that might kill the monarchs in order to kill the aphids. I was lucky to have monarch cats in spring this year, and I might get some in the late summer or fall, the usual time for me to get monarchs. 'Hope this helps! Sherry

Chrissy, get a collapsible net clothes hamper ($14 on Amazon) turn it upside down on a table covered in brown paper or packing paper (no printed newspaper). The cats will crawl up the mesh sides and pupate. You can easily remove the paper to dump the poop and reuse it until it's too soiled. Dump poop once or twice a day. This photo shows the set-up with fennel and Black swallowtail cats. So for Monarchs just pick leaves and lay them on the paper in the bottom. If you do leaves then you will probably have to feed twice a day due to the leaves drying out. It's cheap and easy. After all the chrysalides have eclosed then just wash the hamper with water and chlorox spray and reuse. :) Anna

Often they are stationary for longer than 14 hours before J. Ususally they are stationary for longer than 14 hours before completion of moult.