Monarch Larva and Milkweed Observation

[Freedom2021]

We have what you might call a "naturalized" garden, all organic gardening. Every year we have monarchs, a few more this year than in the past.
I ordered a variety of milkweed seeds for the first time this spring, but then backed out when I read that certain varieties can kill horses - it is poison for them.
There is a horse farm adjacent to our property and I was terrified the seeds might end up on their property.

I might read up on all the seeds I ordered to determine if there are some that will not be poisonous to the horses.
I've counted about twelve different butterflies in our garden - my favorite is the Swallowtail, it is gorgeous and big and the Zebra, so cool looking, the tiny blue ones that like to live in the Plumbago, the Admiral because it is so pretty and friendly and will land on you, the black one with a bit of red markings and white dots that is active around dusk... the super flitty lemon yellow ones, OK - I guess I love them all.

The most exciting part is when I discover a new one I hadn't seen in my yard before. This year it was more of a moth looking black/brown one.

The most fun new visitor this year was a whole squadron of bright metallic green bee looking bees? that favored one of my African Blue Basils, strangely enough only that one bush - none of the others.
It could stay still in the air - some in squadron formation - very cool.
All the other Basil bushes are visited by and buzzing with the gentlest bees ever along with a couple of huge bumblebees that appear to be on steriods they are so big.

 

[street]

Freedom2021 >> that is interesting about poison to horses. It also says the larva is poison for birds also. In the research I have done it says the color of larva is a warning for birds not to eat them. It says if they eat one they will not eat one again because they know it makes them sick.
This morning I went out and looked at the 3 I have and one was on the ground half eaten. The other two were still eating away. I went and got fresh milk weed and stuffed the ends in a water bottle filled with water and gathered the two larva and out them in the butterfly cage. Hung it in the tree and in shade.
The milk weed I went and got was inside a horse pasture with a dozen horses in a 20 acre pasture. That milk weed has been established there for many years and animals know what they can eat or not.
I do understand your concern and I would do the same thing you have done also.

It is like the poison plant called "Nightshade" it is all or the country in grain fields and wildlife eat those areas all the time. They may try it once then they learn never to eat that again. Nightshade is very toxic and deadly to wildlife and humans.

 

[street]

I inspected about a hundred milkweed plants this morning on my hike. Saw nothing monarch related on the plants. Have seen a lot of monarchs flying around recently though.

WOW! You would think that you would of found some thing. No visual holes in leaves is strange. The ones I have found are mostly under/bottom side of leave and they can really hide and are very hard to spot.

Good luck.

 

[street]

This morning one of the caterpillars went into the chrysalis stage and after about 8 to 15 days a monarch will emerge.
The other caterpillar/larva is still eaten but is slowing up and will most likely go into it's finally stage also.
I hope you can spot the chrysalis hanging from the milkweed leave.

 

[audreyh1]

Yep - I can see the little green hanging jewel case in the center.

 

[Chuckanut]

I don't know much about milkweed, but I really like seeing Monarchs. Milkweed is not an invasive species. Right?

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Up here we also have viceroy butterflies. They resemble monarchs -- in fact, they mimic monarchs' behavior as a defense mechanism because monarchs harbor toxins from the milkweed plant that make them unpalatable to predators.

 

[target2019]

I don't know much about milkweed, but I really like seeing Monarchs. Milkweed is not an invasive species. Right?

What I've found so far is that there are indigenous species of Asclepias.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/milkweed/milkweed-plant-varieties.htm

In NJ there might be 10 species that have adapted to different environments (pasture, swamp, etc.). So the garden store would likely have the correct plants. But seeds are another matter. For example we wouldn't want to plant the Western variety in our area. It might just die off, but who knows what else could happen.

We're gonna plant Asclepias tuberosa seed late fall in a raised garden and see what happens in the spring.
https://mtcubacenter.org/plants/butterfly-weed/

 

[Ronstar]

This morning one of the caterpillars went into the chrysalis stage and after about 8 to 15 days a monarch will emerge.

The other caterpillar/larva is still eaten but is slowing up and will most likely go into it's finally stage also.

I hope you can spot the chrysalis hanging from the milkweed leave.

Very nice!

 

[street]

I don't know much about milkweed, but I really like seeing Monarchs. Milkweed is not an invasive species. Right?

Right not invasive. Most weed control districts across the US will not spray to kill milkweed. It is protected in my state and county weed control districts leave it stand in ditches or alone road ways where they have to spray.

 

[street]

Chrysalis number two. I did see some of the transformation but the process was very slow. So, I hope to raise two monarchs that are a 4th or 5th generation monarch since they left Mexico this last spring. When born this time of year in the north, this generation are the ones that head south to Mexico.

 

[street]

Day number 8 Chrysalis. The Chrysalis has become like a tear drop of jello handing from a thread. It has a very glassy/waxy appearance and jiggles with cage movement.
So, according to what should happen there should be two monarchs in the next week sometime. They better hurry we are expecting frost this next week with change of weather. This generation 4th or 5th will start the journey south to to keep the magical migration on track for many more generations to come.

 

[audreyh1]

I don't know much about milkweed, but I really like seeing Monarchs. Milkweed is not an invasive species. Right?

There are numerous milkweed species native to North America. Plant one that is native to your area.

 

[audreyh1]

Day number 8 Chrysalis. The Chrysalis has become like a tear drop of jello handing from a thread. It has a very glassy/waxy appearance and jiggles with cage movement.
So, according to what should happen there should be two monarchs in the next week sometime. They better hurry we are expecting frost this next week with change of weather. This generation 4th or 5th will start the journey south to to keep the magical migration on track for many more generations to come.

When you start seeing the wing pattern through the chrysalis wall you will know emergence is imminent.

If this is the last generation it should fly all the way south to Mexico.

 

[street]

audreyh1 >>> Thanks and that is right. I will be watching each day pretty close and hope to get a picture of chrysalis when it becomes transparent. I hope!
Yes, I would think this may be the super monarch that would head to Mexico but if not I would say it is the fourth.
I hope it works out and that I could be a part in a very small way to help them survive the hurdles they have to go through. I'm a conservationist, so if I can help any way with nature and our surrounds I'm in with a full head of steam.

 

[audreyh1]

I don’t know that the number of generations is fixed. I would think it’s more of a matter of location and timing, and if this one emerges in September, and you are far north enough to have frost soon, it’s got to be destined to head south.

 

[street]

Nothing yet has changed and it is day 16. It hasn't changed transparent yet so will hope for the best. All the things I read it should of happened between 8 and 14 days.

 

[audreyh1]

I think it depends on the weather, can slow down under cool conditions, speed up under hot, and I know some chrysalises took longer, so I wouldn’t worry about it.

 

[street]

audreyh1 >>>> went to the ranch this morning when I got back I took a look and the chrysalis I can see the monarch butterflies wings! Wow, that was fast this morning nothing and now it has changed.

Pictures coming soon!!

 

[street]

Really can see the monarch wings well this morning. Color change is now in the 24 hour period so I would say today there will be a monarch.

 

[audreyh1]

Cool! Hope you get to see it emerge! Once it crawls out it takes a while for the wings to fill out and dry.

 

[street]

That didn't take long! LOL I have the cage in the house so I could keep an eye on the birth. It was all the same at 12pm eat lunch and looked at 1230pm and we had a monarch. What an amazing thing to experience the process of the monarch. In the picture you can see the chrysalis clear one and the other one is in transparency now. Tomorrow should be another birth. I will release them tomorrow together and hope for their safe return to Mexico.

 

[Ronstar]

Very nice! Thanks for posting!

 

[braumeister]

Too cool! Thanks, street.

 

[CDRE]

Thank you Street. Beautiful! This brings back fond memories as an elementary age child when the next door neighbors had the milkweed and encouraged me to nurture a captive worm in a mason jar with holes punched in the lid. I kept a close eye on the little critter, supplying it with milkweed, and had a final glorious day with the butterfly release.