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Monarch Butterfly caterpillars!

schoolhouse_gwagain

3 years ago

Look what I found just now on a walk-around the garden. There are seven of them all together, the seventh was under a leaf and I didn't get it in the photo. They are on two native orange butterfly weed plants, chomping the leaves. I haven't seen one in my garden for many years.

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Comments (15)

schoolhouse_gwagain
Original Author
3 years ago
schoolhouse_gwagain
Original Author
3 years ago
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Yes, That is the plant. The cats on the dill are not Monarch's. Monarchs have black yellow and green stripes, but no dots. They will only eat Milk Weed. Each summer in Michigan,our grand daughters and I raise a couple of monarchs in a screened covered jar. BUT we also have gobs of wild milkweed. Seems as if I am the only one in our park that has this plant, but we noticed tonight that three of the cats have started their next phase, so the new plant should be food enough for the other three.I have hopes that my plants will grow new leaves, and maybe a new family of monarchs..
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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.
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Enjoying my new hobby, thanks to GardenWeb.
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Comments (8)
Congrats, Mostone! That is so cool to find caterpillars on the plants at the nurseries. I have ended up buying way more fennel and rue because of finding cats. Be prepared that the butterfly may not emerge this year. I still have a chrysalis from last year! I have several butterfly cages made from large clear plastic containers (pretzels, animal crackers from Sams Club). I cut out 3 of the sides, leaving the corners for stability, and covered the holes with screen material using clear silicone bathroom caulk for "glue". These are easily sterilized between batches of cats. It is very important to sterilize cages and utensils for the monarchs, they are very susceptible to OE spore and viruses. (To sterilize: make a weak bleach solution and soak for 15-20 minutes and rinse well with water.) Enjoy the new obsession, it is very rewarding. Mechelle
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Comments (3)
That is sad and does not sound good. However it is possible you just did not spy them. They do cruise around the area and from plant to plant. I have about 100 plants spread over a half acre area in Chicago and have managed to see four so far but at least two have perished from the Black Death. And, also unfortunately, this subforum doesn't seem to have much more activity than your milkweed.
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JoanMN
3 years ago
We picked wild milkweed years ago and have enjoyed it and the butterflies ever since.
roxanna7
3 years ago
Lovely to have some good news for a change! Thanks for sharing. =)
phyllis__mn
3 years ago
Last summer I brought two Monarch caterpillars into the house, put them on a twig in a large clear glass vase, supplying them with leaves of asclepsia (the tame form of milkweed). They went through their whole ritual of the pupa, etc. on my dining room table. When they emerged as a full-grown Monarchs, it was so very exciting. I let their wings dry for a few hours and then released them to their world.
lgmd_gaz
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
schoolhouse, where are you located? Monarchs have been rather scarce here in my area near Pittsburgh, PA both last year and so far this year. To date this year I have seen only 2 Monarch butterflies and was surprised to find just 1 cat a couple days ago. All butterflies have been few and far between in sightings the last 2 years. In past years I would count butterflies by the dozens in a short tour through my 1 acre yard with many flowering plants to attract them.
maifleur03
3 years ago
Not monarchs but my bronze fennel just had the first batch of 11 purple swallowtails. I forgot to look this morning by yesterday evening I saw another. A new type for me is a zebra swallowtail. I have seen other types but not these. Apparently they lay their eggs on paw paws one at a time because the caterpillars are cannibalistic.
socks
3 years ago
It's wonderful to see. The monarch cats are so impressive looking.
schoolhouse_gwagain
Original Author
3 years ago
Igmd - I'm in Northeast Ohio, Wayne County. I hope the birds don't find them.

As I said, I have never seen this many cats before. We had just had a downpour of hard rain. I'm always surprised that I don't see them on my wild native milkweed - the tall kind that grows along roads and ditches, with the long flat leaves, purple/pink flower heads, and then the green spikey pods that open with fluffy seed clusters. I see other insects, but no butterfly eggs or cats.

I couldn't think of the other butterfly that looks like a Monarch, but now I did - the Viceroy? Do the cats look the same?
lgmd_gaz
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Schoolhouse, no, the Viceroy cats are very different.

Last August I had 9 Monarch cats at once on a small plant. They ate it down to almost nothing, so I took some of them and 3 or 4 others from other milkweeds in my yard to a friend who had more milkweed for them.
kathyg_in_mi
3 years ago
My DH has a milkweed "garden". We love to see the monarchs.
schoolhouse_gwagain
Original Author
3 years ago
Oh, good idea. Maybe I should transfer them to the milkweed? I noticed today when I was putting down mulch in that bed with the orange butterfly weed, that the cats were still there but not much of the plants were left.
dedtired
3 years ago
My son and his SO raised a bunch of caterpillars and just released this butterfly yesterday.
schoolhouse_gwagain
Original Author
3 years ago
wow.
PRO
Adella Bedella
3 years ago
I have had a bunch of caterpillars this year. We have monarchs and swallowtails.

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