Found another Monarch caterpillar but don’t have an appropriate container…Anyone have a butterfly cage on hand? This will only last a day or two…TIA. -Denise
Tag Archives: Monarch
A Butterfly Is Born!
18 Jul
Welcome to the world a new Monarch butterfly. Captured from CV milkweed as a caterpillar, she emerged from her pupa (in a habitat container) in the play area this morning. I left the flap open, but she probably wont leave for another day or so; if you pass the play area, look for the habitat near the pole where the helmet hangs
The Monarch Caterpillars Live!!!!
2 Jul
They disapeared from the milkweed atop the slide, and I assummed the worst. But today I saw two bigger ones munching on milkweed by the fence. I draped row cover over one…
Image
Monarch Alert!
10 AugBenji, Mike and I saw this Monarch butterfly this evening around 7:30pm in the garden. I think he tried to fly into Warner & Audrey’s kitchen window! –Denise
Solidago L. (Goldenrod)
14 Jun
Solidago, common name goldenrod, is a perennial plant that blooms with yellow flowers August through October. It can crossbreed with other plants, and today there are at least 130 species in the United States. Several butterflies eat goldenrod nectar, including Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, American Lady and Monarch.
Source list: http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=SOLID; http://butterflyprojectnyc.org/gardening/;
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/goldenrod
Monarch-Friendly Plants; Upgraded Site!
9 Feb
As you probably know (ha!) this is an Asclepias physocarparpa plant (also known as Gomphocarpus physocarpus, commonly balloonplant, balloon cotton-bush or swan plant), a species of milkweed favored by Monarch butterflies.
Question: Are our butterfly plants some sort of milkweed? If yes, what kind? According to this BBG.org story, some milkweeds are great for gardens while others tend to overtake the beds. So I’m wondering what exactly we already have and what we want to get or enhance.
When I went to the Butterfly Conservatory at the Museum of Natural History a few months ago, one of the butterfly handlers advised me to talk to a local nursery to get the best plants for egg laying, as the female monarch is picky. But now that I look into it, it seems like the feeding and egg laying plants are the same– milkweeds. Any thoughts?
Incidentally, a commenter on the BBG story suggests that fennel is a good host food for black swallowtails.
In other news, I’ve updated the website but I’m not sure the bells and whistles have kicked in yet. I’m writing this on the same old interface. -Denise
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