Re: Monarch Supporter

countrynaturals 7/25/2016, 8:33 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote: Noooooo. I need to be vigilant. My baby last year got huge and metamorphosized. But no way to know after that.

Once they get to the chrysalis stage they should be okay (unless some %^&$ parasite got to them before that). It's the cats that are the most vulnerable. Sad

I released two healthy male Monarchs this morning and my passionvine plants are loaded with Gulf Fritillary cats. Very Happy

**Scorpio Rising** 7/25/2016, 10:00 pm

OK, I only saw 3 tonight, but they were in a between stage, kinda hanging attached getting ready to metamorphosize into chrysalis form. They were a bit shrunkenish. Fingers crossed.

**Scorpio Rising** 7/25/2016, 10:01 pm

countrynaturals wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote: Noooooo. I need to be vigilant. My baby last year got huge and metamorphosized. But no way to know after that.
Once they get to the chrysalis stage they should be okay (unless some %^&$ parasite got to them before that). It's the cats that are the most vulnerable. I released two healthy male Monarchs this morning and my passionvine plants are loaded with Gulf Fritillary cats.

I love the Frits! So pretty!

countrynaturals 7/27/2016, 11:45 am

I never get tired of watching this process, but I've never been able to get a video nearly as good as this one.

Monarch Forming Chrysalis

**Scorpio Rising** 7/27/2016, 6:51 pm

countrynaturals wrote:I never get tired of watching this process, but I've never been able to get a video nearly as good as this one.

Monarch Forming Chrysalis

Very cool! Suz, I PM'd you, I have an emergency of sorts! My cats.... Sad

hammock gal 7/28/2016, 9:17 am

I was at a friend's house yesterday, and she has many Rose of Sharon bushes in her yard, and I have never seen so many monarch butterflies in one place...it was amazing! I never knew that this plant attracted them, but they were all over them, as well as other butterflies that I couldn't identify. Seeing that many butterflies at once was quite an experience.

countrynaturals 7/28/2016, 11:33 am

hammock gal wrote:I was at a friend's house yesterday, and she has many Rose of Sharon bushes in her yard, and I have never seen so many monarch butterflies in one place...it was amazing! I never knew that this plant attracted them, but they were all over them, as well as other butterflies that I couldn't identify. Seeing that many butterflies at once was quite an experience.

Oooo! That is awesome. Monarch Supporter - Page 4 3170584802

**Scorpio Rising** 7/28/2016, 6:33 pm

Very cool! Pretty plants, too.

**Kelejan** 7/28/2016, 10:16 pm

I thought that Monarchs only used Milkweed. Good to know that other plants can cater for them.

countrynaturals 7/28/2016, 11:52 pm

Kelejan wrote:I thought that Monarchs only used Milkweed. Good to know that other plants can cater for them.

Monarchs will visit and sip from all kinds of flowers, but they only lay their eggs on milkweed. The reason is strictly for defense. Milkweed makes the caterpillars poisonous to predators (like birds). Razz

**sanderson** 7/29/2016, 3:02 am

That's a problem with mono culture, whether by man or nature. Sad

**Scorpio Rising** 7/29/2016, 7:55 am

True.

**Scorpio Rising** 8/22/2016, 3:43 pm

OK, so heartbreaking early August. All my cats were either mysteriously disappeared, or parasitized or and died in front of my eyes... pale

So, 2 days ago, see 2 cats on the swamp milkweed. So cute! So, although I am in the middle of my colon cleanse for my colonoscopy, I ask my kid to run to Walmart so I can buy a hamper to make a habitat for them! Yes, it was risky (and it WAS), got the pop up hamper albeit with the stupid closure at the top.

Took guts, but I cut a hole in the hamper so I could fit the cats stil attached to their branches into the hamper, all about last night 8pm ish....milkweed in water with foil on top so they can't drown....

They are both alive and well today! Seem healthy, no weirdness to be seen thus far. They grow so fast!

The bigger one is crawling around the top of the container....other guy, munching.

**Scorpio Rising** 8/22/2016, 3:46 pm

Hamper-tat in the west. Bay window

**Scorpio Rising** 8/22/2016, 3:49 pm

Big guy on the leaf at 3 o'clock
Monarch Supporter - Page 4 Image69

Little guy on the bent down leaf near the central branch

countrynaturals 8/22/2016, 9:26 pm

When the really big ones crawl away, they're ready to pupate. (When little ones crawl away, they're just lost and need to be put back on their plants.) Good luck with this batch. Monarch Supporter - Page 4 3170584802

(I have at least 50 in the butterfly house now, pigging out. Rolling Eyes

)

**Scorpio Rising** 8/22/2016, 9:42 pm

I was soooo debating whether or not to bring them in...I usually let nature take error course. But these Beauties are just so cool.

I have 2 cats in a big 36" hamper with the top taped closed with doubled back tape. They seem healthy....yay cheers

**sanderson** 8/23/2016, 2:54 am

What a great idea using the pop-up hampers

countrynaturals 8/23/2016, 10:53 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:I was soooo debating whether or not to bring them in...I usually let nature take error course. But these Beauties are just so cool.

I have 2 cats in a big 36" hamper with the top taped closed with doubled back tape. They seem healthy....yay

I hope they're okay. Like you, I've had some heartbreaking disasters. Fingers crossed that your little guys just eat, sleep, and fly. Have you ever watched one form a chrysalis? WOW! That is a fascinating experience. flower

You'll know it's going to happen when they crawl up and away and hang in a "J" formation. From then you must watch like a hawk or you'll miss it.

**Kelejan** 8/23/2016, 2:55 pm

countrynaturals wrote:
Kelejan wrote:I thought that Monarchs only used Milkweed. Good to know that other plants can cater for them.
Monarchs will visit and sip from all kinds of flowers, but they only lay their eggs on milkweed. The reason is strictly for defense. Milkweed makes the caterpillars poisonous to predators (like birds).

Thank goodness for that. Very Happy

I have about six milkweed plants surviving in pots. they are about four inches tall but do not seem to be growing very much.

landarch 8/23/2016, 6:35 pm

I have a black swallowtail chrysalis that has been attached to a stick for about a month and nothing yet...is there a way I can tell if it's still viable? One previously went into chrysalis and flew away in about a week.

We found another batch of caterpillars on the carrot leaves and put the largest in a container and it formed a chrysalis within a day...black swallowtails make a really cool harness to hang from.

I found a monarch caterpillar in the lawn the other day and moved it to a marsh milkweed...it fed for a day or two then disappeared...saw one flying around the butterfly garden last night so I'll just say it was the one.
Monarch Supporter - Page 4 Monarc11

**Scorpio Rising** 8/23/2016, 9:06 pm

The pop up hamper idea came from Judy McD here. Suz and Judy, you guys gave me the guts to do something. One of you said "Nature is cruel". That got me. I got one, not the best opening, (not zip, but rather a swath type thing) but after seeing my first 7 disappear...2 of them parasitized by some kind of fly larvae....

So I intervened. Felt scary. But I will post some pics when I can....I cut the 2 milkweed branches the cats were on, brought them inside, had a bowl with water and covered by foil with a couple holes for the milkweed stems. Stuck the branches into the bowl, and the cats ate, and pooled, and the bigger one made his way up to the top and he fully chrysalisized today. The smaller guy is at the top now, and scrunching up into that shape.....

cheers

**Scorpio Rising** 8/23/2016, 9:22 pm

Landarch, all you guys, it makes me happy to hear of so many people at least caring about these amazing creatures! Butterflies are just so....cool.

A month sounds like too long for your guy to be viable. There are many here with more experience than I. Usually, 10-14 days in the chrysalis stage.

countrynaturals 8/23/2016, 9:29 pm

My only experience with swallowtails is pipevine swallowtails and they can stay in a chrysalis for months. That's how they overwinter. None of the other types hang around here, so I just don't know how long is too long. Embarassed

**Scorpio Rising** 8/23/2016, 10:16 pm

countrynaturals wrote:When the really big ones crawl away, they're ready to pupate. (When little ones crawl away, they're just lost and need to be put back on their plants.) Good luck with this batch. (I have at least 50 in the butterfly house now, pigging out. )

How do you feed them all, Suz? They eat soooo much!

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