Raising Monarch Butterflies!

[luxy1205]

Sammy and I raise Monarch butterflies. We've been doing it now for a few years. We have wild milkweed that grows right out side our house! We grow them either from caterpillars or from eggs. We try to help the population out! By raising them inside, we can have total control over them. This way they don't have to fight to live dealing with wasps laying their eggs on them and fighting with milkweed beetles! They get their containers cleaned everyday and fresh milkweed! It's a lot of info to list on them, so if anybody wants to know more about them let me know! Today we had 4 that emerged into beautiful butterflies!!! Enjoy! -Michelle

 

[marks_here]

How pretty!! I gave been battling the Japanese Beatle this year...omg...Denise & I after our daily triathlon brisk 2 mile walk followed by a mad sprint to chase the deer from her yard followed by the Beatle hunt...who says we don't know how to have fun in the kuntree???!!!

 

[electrolux137]

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Wonderful! I love the photos of the butterflies emerging from their cocoons.

I have an aunt in Virginia who raises Monarchs. Here's a photo she sent me last year.

 

[luxy1205]

Charles

WOW THAT'S AMAZING!!! Thanks for sharing that! -Michelle

 

[super-sweeper]

Michelle that's beautiful! If i was one of those butterflies, I would stick around the house and watch the daily commotion of Electroluxes, Sunbeams and Chevettes! would be a fun life for a butterfly! 

 

[electrolux137]

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The thing is, that photo of the butterflies clinging to the screen and looking out to forbidden freedom makes me kinda sad. It looks like they are just hanging on there, wistfully staring out at the great outdoors and wishing they could soar away out there.

 

[luxy1205]

Charles

As soon as our butterflies are done hanging to let their wings dry, we set them free. Those last few pictures I shared are of one of our butterflies that decided to stay in our yard for awhile on my marigold! It was nice of her to let me get her picture!!! Also, our dear friends and neighbors next door plant a huge amount of flowers every year. Deb loves planting flowers and buying all the plants that the hummingbirds and butterflies love! She's got a lot of butterfly bushes. What's funny is, the past years we've been raising them, as soon as we set them free they fly over her fence to her yard! So, now, I just go in her yard and put them on the butterfly bushes! They've got a nice safe haven over at her house! So, does your aunt set them free at all??? Just curious, not judging, to each their own! -Michelle

 

[davetranter]

Cinnabar Moths

I'm currently in the process of doing my bit for the local Cinnabar Moth population.... Looking after a dozen or so caterpillars..... All outdoors, though.... Just making sure they have sufficient food, etc.....

This could become a new interest in itself...... Any more Lepidopterists out there??

All best

Dave T

 

[luxy1205]

Dave T

Cool! I have no idea what a Cinnabar moth is, but now I will look it up! Yay population help for our winged friends! -Michelle

 

[luxy1205]

Dave T

I just looked up a Cinnabar moth. They're beautiful! -Michelle

 

[petek]

It's very interesting. I've only seen a couple of Monarchs this summer here in our yard. There's been quite a bit of write up lately in the newspapers about them, apparently some of the garden centers are selling various types of Milkweed plants now. There used to be a lot of Milkweed growing in the fields on the edge of town when I was a kid but much of that is now new housing. I've seen a few plants in the more natural parts of the park here up by the beach. When we were kids we used to like collecting the pods and releasing all the fluff. For all the weeds I have in some of my flower beds maybe I should plant some.

 

[tolivac]

No Monarchs out here-least haven't seen any-but LOTS of what famers call "tobacco fly"These moths lay their eggs on tobacco and tomato plants-then the eggs hatch into large hornworms-gross things.Ijust don't like caterpillars-but the moths and butterflys are something else!I am no expert on plants -there is a plant outside my bedroom window with sorta pink flowers-haven't seen them this year-other times in the spring the plant would have caterpillars on it eating the leaves-Just let them!The plant is fine.It is no sense trying to fight the bugs-they will win anyway.And it balances out-the worms don't eat the whole plant or damage it-just goes on.Don't know what kind of moth or butterfly they are-just see he worms or caterpillars.Since there were no tobacco crops planted this year-no "Tobacco Fly"

 

[marks_here]

Madam flutterby we have monarchs here along with several other pretty coloured ones with blue on them & of course the garden variety millers & other moths...oh...saw my first wolly worm yesterday..oh boy