Plant It and They Will Come 4 Monarch Pollinator Life Cycles

Greenthumb, thanks again for the warning about the Saddleback caterpillars. I told my neighbors how dangerous they are because I would feel so terrible if their toddler grabbed one!
If I were in their situation, the caterpillars would be long goners.

See "Medical Significance" section of: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/medical/saddleback_caterpillar.htm

This message was edited Aug 25, 2014 5:28 PM

Muddy, a big 'ick' from me on the saddlebacks!

my miniscule caterpillar threads have grow into 3 tiny Monarch caterpillars! yay!

What does a caterpillar thread look like?

They are barely visible little dark lines! That's what hatches out of the tiny egg. I think these little guys are 2nd instar, and they have the Monarch cat markings.

Some good closeup pics on this site
http://lifecycle.onenessbecomesus.com/egg.html

Catmint, have the other two hatched yet? Did those first three eat their egg shells? A number of my new hatches go on a walkabout wwithout eating shell, the ones that stay put and eatshell and milkweed are more like pics below and the walkers like threads!

Are we all set for the transfer tomorrow? I can be there earlier say around 6? Or what works for you?

Coleup, those are the only 3 cats I can find on the leaves now. As far as I can tell, all the eggs hatched and were eaten. For a few days after the hatching, I could not find the cats at all, but now I see 3 of them. I don't know what happened to the other 2.

Thanks for the link, Coleup! I like knowing what to look out for.

Greenthumb, just met up with Catmint last evening and sent 51 more fresh gathered eggs for you good folks in Loudoun County to hand raise. That's 102 to you. Is there some way we can get some running reports on how they are doing, etc? Does any part of the Loudoun site allow for on going reports, observations, questions?

Here I have 10 chrysilisis ready to go any day, and lots of cats (80+) in various instars and eggs hatching as I write, 40+ being raised out on my route and mama Monarchs actively laying....
So approaching 300 as a direct result of our Plant It and They Will Come efforts thus far!

Am finding that if I do not collect an egg when I see it, that 'predators' get them by the next day or afternoon even. They sitand lie in wait! Still, as Catmint and I can tell you one or two do escape even our close scrutiny!

Hope my milkweed supply holds out and fall blooming nectar plants get thir show on!

Coleup let us know if you are running short on milkweed! Perhaps we can pool efforts and help out!

Okay here's a game for the pollinator lovers. ;-) how many monarch cats can you count on these leaves? :-D

Also just for Coleup for a sunny Wed morning: Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' early today

Here is a link you might find helpful for Loudoun Monarch info.

http://www.loudounwildlife.org/Monarch_Campaign_Raise_Release_Map.html

This little project has taken on epic proportions!

From my BR window--just this evening--I saw a Monarch BF
land on several blooms of my Tropical Milkweed...slurp...slurp...

If I go out, camera in hand, I know they will never come.
Would be a great shot if i could get it....

G.

Umm...7 caterpillars?

Big applause for your successes!!

I'm looking forward to raising some of these little critters. I haven't seen aphids or moth caterpillars on my MW lately so unless I get a sudden invasion, I'll be able to help starting next Wednesday.

Edited to add: Your Helianthus is beautiful, CatMint (the bees think so too).


This message was edited Aug 27, 2014 8:52 PM

This message was edited Aug 27, 2014 9:45 PM

awww, thanks, Muddy! :-) I was amazed at them all out there this morning, already nestled in the blossoms as though they were just waiting for the sun to hit them there.

The little Monarch cats are so adorable. Every day they get a little bigger and their markings become a little clearer. I hope you are able to raise a couple, Muddy! I know the upcoming vacation makes it difficult to commit to raising any right now.

I bought a Lindera benzoin (Spicebush) today; hopefully the Spicebush and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are still around. I haven't seen the Spicebush Swallowtail recently. The shrub probably already has eggs on it anyway, so I might be able to see those adorable caterpillars!.

It was a present to myself for spending time dealing with a unanticipated, pressing, life or death (for the fish) pond issue even though it really cut into my gardening time : - )

that's wonderful, Muddy! Is it your first or 2nd spicebush? i guess I still need to get a 2nd one, but only after I know the sex of my first one! :-D

My Black Swallowtail eclosed today--what a beauty! He/she went flying off right away as soon as I got home.

It's my first one. I'm not sure I'll get another one: I wanted it for the leaves; berries are optional. I do have plenty of forsythia I could dig up to make room for another one, though!

Released the first ten Monarchs the last several days. 5 girls and 5 boys. 17 in the J position yesterday and today. 28 not far behind! And then there are the newbee hatchlings in 1st, 2nd and 3rd instar...too numerous to count. Egg finding has been down to one or two every other day with no sightings of adults.

Greenthumb, I would like to know how many of the 102 I passed on to you all have hatched and how they are doing? Any signs of disease/ Any problems with a switch in diet? Who is raising the 16 cats? Do any of you grow Tropical milkweed?I can share my eeemail if that would get me some feedback. Thanks. Are you and Pat raising some? Any more Monarch action there in Loudoun?

yay on all those Monarchs, Coleup! I have moved my 4 cats to the butterfly habitat as they are big enough now.

I passed along all the cats and eggs and have had very little contact with the contact person for the foster group. I believe individuals were dispersed among several people and I have not received a report. I don't think anyone grows Tropical milkweed. I will try to get some update for you.

I have the tropical Milkweed that coleup gave me as seedlings.
They (3) are all growing in a huge pot. All are in bloom--and i see
seed pods forming. The plants are close to 3' tall now.
I have looked for eggs--but not sure how high or low on the plant leaves
I should be checking. So far--haven't seen any.

Saw a Monarch feeding on the blooms the other morning. Unfortunately--
I was just looking out my BR window. no pictures.

Here are the Tropical Milkweeds in the big pot....ca nt see the pot...

Judy, I got a reply from the lady I passed the cats and eggs to. She has two large rearing cages. Of the ones she kept from the first batch, she has three that have pupated and about a dozen cats thought it is difficult to get a full count without disturbing the contents. Of her portion of the second batch of eggs and cats she figures she has about a dozen cats so far. Fresh leaves are all from newest growth on common milkweed. Hope this helps.

Gita, the eggs can be any where on the trropical even on the blooms and the seed pods! Since the tropical is so flexible I bend back an entire stem or section to look for eggs rather than going leaf by leaf. It helps if I can get the sun just right so it glints off the egg. Eggs almost always on underside of leaf. If you start to see little holes, turn over that leaf and you may find a tiney tiney 'thread' ala Catmint of a caterpillar! Your pot is gorgeous.

Yes. David that surely helps. A little bit of feedback goes a long way in this labor of love! Thank you and I eagerly await further reports And, egg laying has resumed so more fostering may be needed.

I did locate several stands of Common milkweed so I do 1.2. and 3 instars on swamp and tropical and then let the 4th and fifth instars tackle the big thick common leaves. My cats seem to relish and guard their stems which makes moving them to clean their containers a bit easier.
Those eggs laid on the same day tend to pupate and eclose within a day of each other

I have seen no activity on any of the stands of wild growing common milkweed I have been monitoring and three stands were even devoid of those orange aphids.

Picked up 3 pots of Purple Milkweed, Nice plant and very deep green leaves. Greenthumb do you grow this one? I liked your pic of the verticiliata on the Blooms thread.

Catmint, I'm glad your rearing cage got there just in time. Are you finding it easy to work with?

Will check in again after I wash some containers and milkweed!

Judy--
Please explain to me what 1st, 2nd, and 3rd instar means.

Is that sizes? Age of?..what? I see it used all the time but don't know
what it means.

I know a new, small caterpillar is an "instar'...Then what?

Just wanted to know. Thanks, Gita

1st instar is right after hatching, As the cat grows it must shed its skin and when it does it doubles in size and becomes another instar. Fifth instar sheds to become the chrysalis. To cycle through all five instars takes 10 - 14 days Below is a pic of the Monarch instars. Hope this helps, Fifth instar is 2000 times bigger than first instar.

Thanks, Judy... Gita

Judy, yes I have Purple Milkweed. Think it is really lovely, see photo from this year.

coleup though I cannot commit to hand rearing, you may be happy to know that before Mark cut the grass, I pulled and checked every new shoot that had come up in the lawn, Of 6-8 shoots, each had one egg on a leaf. Petty amazing. I put the pulled shoots onto live stems, or potted them to try and help them stay fresh. Best I can do. At least you know there's another 6-8 that had a chance they wouldn't if you hadn't raised my consciousness.

Judy, have you found any shed skins among your cats? I have not found any, although I know they must have done this as they keep getting bigger. :-D I think by now they are 3rd instar.

Sally, glad you were at least able to save the eggs.

Was pleased to see this article this morning:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/5080/

Sally, I almost called you yesterday to see if Wayne and I could come by and harvest some of your Common milkweed leaves for our kaleidoscope of baby cats here! It's good to know that even if we don't see many Monarchs, they are out there doing their thing as best they can. And how could any self respecting Monarch not visit your royal kingdom while in the neighborhood!
I'd be happy to come by and hand raise some of yours for you, feed with your milkweed and return them to you as chrysalis for you to release. What say ye? I have read that a drop or two of milkweed sap can anchor a small piece of leaf with egg to another leaf, but haven't tried it.

Common milkweed responds with fresh tender new growth when it is cut back which is excellent for egg laying which is why my unestablished plants have hosted so many eggs, that. plus my removing a leaf with egg from a plant may encourage mama to lay another on same plant. Now if we can get local, state and federal highways and byways to mow if at all, after the cats have become adults as prep for next generation...Of course, that would mean adjusting our 'schedules' to what works for nature locally...

Catmint, shed skin looks very similar to another piece of frass! They will stop eating and go up sides of my containers and rest with their heads pointed down. They shed from tail to head, so look directly under where it was hanging out.

David will you have some seeds of Purple Milkweed to share? I hear they are best planted when they are ripe this fall? They may also be possible to grow from cuttings. I also hear it likes to grow naturally in the drip line of oaks.

coleup I don't have a huge amount of extra milkweed but maybe some. I did cut off/ pull some big stalks and they haven't sprouted as fast as I thought. Maybe they are hidden in Obedient plant.

Yesterday we were grouchy and in a funk of not having special holiday plans, and being too hot to do some things we considered.. (picky and spoiled yes) We ended up at Macaroni Grill and it was absolutely delicious and reasonable $

Wednesday should be home by late afternoon and all evening.

The pods of my purple milkweed are not quite ripe yet. I should have some to share by the time of the swap in two weeks.

I looked at some young shoots with chewed leaves and found tiny baby cats.

I looked at all the leaves--and as best I can tell you--i did not see any eggs
or ant baby cats.
What i did see was clusters of small (2mm) round, yellow-orange mites (?) or fleas
all around the forming seed pods and also amid the bloom stems.

I made up a cup of water, alcohol, and dish soap and dunked all the blooms
and surrounding seed pods in it. Swish...swish....hopefully, all gone.

WHAT were these???? I want to know....There was talk about some kind of
insects on Milkweed.in one of the posts---

This Mikweed is very close to my new plantings of 4 Cucumbers.
Decided to plant a later batch, as my current ones are all gone--crunchy and dry.
Will pull the plants up as soon as the weather is comfortable enough.
Enough of this 90-degree humid days we are having right now.

I have to spend hours and hours watering plants in this heat at the HD!
WHAAA....WHAAAAA.....choke....choke...drip...drip.....

Gita

Gita, the small orange insects on your Milkweed are Milkweed aphids.

that's terrific, Sally! Either Coleup or I need to catch up with you to take those cute little baby cats in. :-D

greenthumb: I'd also love some of your purple milkweed seeds if you have enough to go around....