What's happening to my Monarch Caterpillars?
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Monarch Caterpillars
Comments (15)I don't know whether the cats are supposed to go into the dirt when it's cold or not, but I can't really imagine them doing that, as sensitive to touch as their skin is. I do know that yesterday morning, I found three lying on top of the cold wet mulch underneath the milkweed, curled up in tight balls, and barely moving. I think they were hiding under the milkweed leaves during the night and got so cold they lost their grip. That's just what I'm imagining. I don't have proof of that, of course. But when I placed them back on the plant, they gradually uncurled and began to eat again. Now the small ones I saw two days ago are nowhere to be found. I think they probably bit the dust, not having enough stores of whatever passes for caterpillar fat to keep them alive during the cold. Again, though, I'm just guessing. This is a part of their lives I don't know much about, since I usually don't see them in winter. Today, I moved the large ones still around into the back porch in my little plastic butterfly box, and put plenty of milkweed in there for now. Several of them are big enough to pupate soon. One is a bit smaller, and we'll just have to hope the milkweed lasts long enough for him. (Inside or outside, the milkweed issue would be the same.) Hope they make it. They'll be my first releases of 2009, if they do. Marcia...See MoreMilkweed, aphids, and monarch caterpillars
Comments (4)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...See MoreRaising Monarch Caterpillars Outside
Comments (6)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...See MoreFirst time growing butterfly weed. Aphids and monarch caterpillars.
Comments (21)I have found the best thing to do is leave the Oleander aphids alone, and as they increase they will attract the predators that feed on them. Lady beetles, lacewings, and small parasitic flies and wasps. I will carefully spray any aphids off with the hose if they are on any of my rarer milkweeds that are still. small and not established are still small and not yet established. It's too much work and time to constantly be hosing off all your milkweeds, and you can end up damaging Monarch eggs or little caterpillars in the process. It's hard to see so many aphids on a plant, and not take action, but the natural predators will eventually come and clean out the aphids quickly. Most milkweeds have tubers that store energy, and they have evolved to be able to withstand a lot of predation from Monarch caterpillars, so it's doubtful the could kill a milkweed, except perhaps a very young seedling. Oleander aphids do not turn into red and black milkweed beetles, that's absurd. Hosing them off is reducing the food source of the predators. By leaving them, you help the predator populations, which will mean more predators and less aphids in the future. ....See Morefour (9B near 9A)
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