Woo hoo. The back garden redesign is starting to pay off! I had butterflies, bees & birds in mind when I started the makeover this spring and today a big sign it's working:
A Monarch caterpillar on "Princess" ~ the pink swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) planted in the new oval bed. It's the first time I've EVER had Monarch caterpillars. I've read about them being in your gardens and now, what a thrill to find them in my own!
It really IS true "if you plant it, they will come." The caterpillar above is on "Ice Ballet" ~ a white swamp milkweed. I only see two "cats" for now (one on each plant) but we'll see what happens. The blooms of both milkweed are long over but there are plenty of seed pods & green leaves left. I'm hoping both plants will spread around the garden and I have multitudes of caterpillars from this year forward.
Now I guess I'll start worrying about them being parasitized by the tachinid flies that also inhabit the garden. It's already crossed my mind to collect them and keep them protected but I wonder if that's the right thing??? How much interference is appropriate? I struggle with that one...
I always get excited when I see these beautiful caterpillars in the garden. Congrats! :)
Posted by: Racquel | August 31, 2011 at 08:15 PM
What beautiful stripes this little creature has. :)
Posted by: Kala | September 01, 2011 at 02:18 AM
Congrats for the monarch cats!!! A big thrill indeed!
Posted by: tina | September 01, 2011 at 04:37 AM
Kathleen girl these are fantastic pictures! I have always planted so many butterfly "magnets" in my garden to draw the beauties in .. I have had lots of Black Swallowtail caterpillars but never got to see them through the whole cycle because they left home for a better spot around the deck where we can't see them .. very shy these guys.
And YES ! I also am in a predicament about my own interference with keeping a caterpillar now in the chrysalis stage .. I worry it will be too cold and too late for it to survive .. I'm actually hoping it will do the over winter thing and come out for Spring .. I have read as much as I can and that is one of the things they are capable of doing. It is amazing eh ?
Glad to have company with loving these creatures : )
Joy
Posted by: Joy | September 01, 2011 at 05:19 AM
Oh that is exciting! I've never seen them in my garden, might have to get some milkweed.
Posted by: Victoria | September 01, 2011 at 06:05 AM
Email me so I can send you my address for those seeds. Thanks.
Posted by: Victoria | September 01, 2011 at 06:08 AM
Congrats on hosting the Monarch cats! They really do seem to love 'Ice Ballet'. I've seen them strip that one and leave the pink ones.
Posted by: sweetbay | September 02, 2011 at 08:40 PM
Congrats! As one who has never had a monarch cat in my garden, I'm a little bit jealous. :) And I can't give you any advice on taking care of them. I hope they survive and thrive.
Posted by: Grace | September 03, 2011 at 08:01 PM
I've been bringing in my monarch caterpillar's and putting them in a big jar and raising them into butterflies!!! My 4th butterfly is about ready to come out of it's chrysalis any day now!
Posted by: Tammy | September 08, 2011 at 04:36 PM