Thank you leafhead, now you are just exhausting me! :-) I am out of room for any thing larger than Marigolds, snapdragons and yes, asters. I cannot decide which asters to get. They recommend Aster lateriflorus 'Lady in Black' and Aster novi belgii Alert (red), for my area. I did find a great plant list just for the Texas High Plains, so I think I will try their local varieties. They also sell plants, however it is a long drive, but they do have native milkweed, several varieties, I would like to try. Next year I will have time to put in more garden space, as I do away with more lawn, but for now I am full-up! I think I will learn alot this summer, and by next spring I should know more about what is good for me as far as natives, and if I see butterflies I did not expect, I will plant what I can to meet their needs. I am very excited about my first season. I don't think I have a chance of seeing either a Giant or a Tiger Swallowtail. The sulfurs we get are happy with grasses, so I have that covered. I do need Violets! The list never ends.... Thanks again, Debra

Taraleigh: Any container will do. I've used cottage cheese containers, ziplock containers, tupperware :) anything. They need some room, plenty of food and air holes at the top of the container. Saran wrap works fine, but you might want to use a rubberband or something to keep it in place. I put paper towels at the bottom and add in a few sticks. The caterpillars will usually choose a stick to attach to when they go into their chrysalis. You will need to change the paper towels every day or two, they are pooping machines :) Once they are in their chrysalis, I usually take the stick, (or whatever they used and attach that to a stick) and stick it in flower foam to hold it upright. I put it in a mesh laundry bag and stick it on the porch. I leave it outside at that point just in case a caterpillar ended up getting parasitized.

I ran across this method for hard cooked eggs from Julia Child. Please read #5. WHO KNEW! -Grainlady Perfectly Easy-to-Peel Hard Boiled Eggs 1. Start by placing your eggs in the bottom of a large pot. You want the pot to be large enough that the eggs can fit in a single layer. Add water until it's 1 inch above the top of the eggs. 2. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a boil. (If you want, you can add a half teaspoon of salt here like Katie suggests.) 3. When the water boils, cover the pot and turn the burner off. Let the eggs sit in the covered pot for 17 minutes. Get a bowl filled with ice water and set it off to the side. 4. After 17 minutes, transfer the eggs into the ice water using a slotted spoon. 5. Now, bring the water back up to a boil again and place the cooled eggs into the boiling water for just 10-20 seconds more. Cooling the egg causes the egg itself to shrink away from the shell and membrane, and when we give the outer shell that extra blast of heat, it causes it to expand slightly, pulling it as far away from the egg as possible. The eggs then go back in the ice water to let them cool completely. 6. Peel the egg. Here is a link that might be useful: Cooking 101: How to Hard Boil Eggs

Now I know who to look for I will keep watch while I am looking for more catterpillars. thanks for the picture MM Funny how they just pick on the roses when there are Hibiscus and others all over the place. One of nature's amazing little mysteries, isn't it ? Marion, who will not spray them.