The fluttering of the Queens has definitely begun—thirteen new butterflies have emerged so far. Hopefully they will find nectar in the Lantana, Zinnias, Buddleia, Pentas, Gregg’s Blue Mist, and Coneflowers. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be lucky enough to find the next generation of caterpillars on the milkweed. Tried for a group photo, but this is the best I could do. If you thought herding cats was difficult, just try “herding” butterflies.
I’m always on the lookout for butterflies and recently spied a couple of Queen Butterflies mating. With milkweed being the host plant on which the female Queen deposits her eggs, I began to closely watch my milkweed plants. Happily I found several eggs which then hatched a couple of days later. Knowing that the eggs and caterpillars are predation for wasps, I removed the caterpillars and placed them on milkweed in a pot which I protected in the house. As in the children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the tiny caterpillars ate and ate the milkweed leaves and quickly became full grown. After about a week the caterpillars pupated, and I now have about 15 beautiful green jewels (chrysalis of the Queen--see above) in which the metamorphosis is happening. I expect a flutter of new Queen butterflies soon.
The fluttering of the Queens has definitely begun—thirteen new butterflies have emerged so far. Hopefully they will find nectar in the Lantana, Zinnias, Buddleia, Pentas, Gregg’s Blue Mist, and Coneflowers. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be lucky enough to find the next generation of caterpillars on the milkweed. Tried for a group photo, but this is the best I could do. If you thought herding cats was difficult, just try “herding” butterflies.
