Butterflies

[CRJR45]

Our state Butterfly , the Zebra Longwing ...

 

[RealMuddyboots]

We have pretty good milkweed for them but also ripped out a garden and made it into butterfly patch. Bought plants from local soil conservation district. Plants growing pretty good and flowering up nicely. Some butterflies, at least couple Monarchs so looks like garden is going to be nice addition.

Plants:
Common milkweed - wild
Red/swamp milkweed
Butterfly (orangemilkweed
Cardinal flower
Burning Heart

Now I see I have to get some photos. Time to break out the Canon!!!

 

[CRJR45]

Salvia’s , Pentas , Firebush ,(sp?) and Milkweed .
And the Monarch No Tell Motel !

You know , they crawl in ,… and fly out .

 

[CRJR45]

We had one hatch today.

 

[RealMuddyboots]

Well finally have some "youngsters"!
Counted at least 7 on 2 plants.

 

[CRJR45]

I moved two today into the Monarch Motel .

 

[CRJR45]

A Queen butterfly, according to the internet?
We have then in our garden.

 

[Oak]

This one landed on my hand while elk hunting. butterfly or random bug?View attachment 200569

Ha, I came here to post one of these and scrolled through the photos first. It's a police car moth (no lie!).

 

[Oak]

Sheep moth

 

[RealMuddyboots]

What is best way to have a Monarch hotel?

 

[CRJR45]

What is best way to have a Monarch hotel?

You mean like mine ? A incubator ?

 

[RealMuddyboots]

You mean like mine ? A incubator ?

Yessir

 

[CRJR45]

Yessir

It's just a box with a screen I cut down . The idea is to put the caterpillars in when they get larger , or anytime really . Like the ones in your photos .
You have to put fresh milkweed in for them to eat , and they eat a lot .
Down here the lizards eat them when they go into the chrysalis stage , so the box lets them hatch out . After they hatch you release them .
Monarchs have a symbiotic relationship with milkweed , they live and reproduce all on milkweed , I believe.

 

[RealMuddyboots]

It's just a box with a screen I cut down . The idea is to put the caterpillars in when they get larger , or anytime really . Like the ones in your photos .
You have to put fresh milkweed in for them to eat , and they eat a lot .
Down here the lizards eat them when they go into the chrysalis stage , so the box lets them hatch out . After they hatch you release them .
Monarchs have a symbiotic relationship with milkweed , they live and reproduce all on milkweed , I believe.

I noticed the caterpillars disappeared but could not find their chrysalis hanging anywhere. Thinking this might help. Live in southern Michigan so no lizards!

 

[CRJR45]

I noticed the caterpillars disappeared but could not find their chrysalis hanging anywhere. Thinking this might help. Live in southern Michigan so no lizards!

I'm sure something preys on them up there . I'm from south Mi , Grand Blanc /Flint area for me and my wife is from Battle Creek . We have two hanging now .

 

[WildWill]

 

[CRJR45]

Had one hatch today . Also you can see a caterpillar on the screen , we move them in at all sizes .

 

[Wild Bill]

Counted 16 monarchs on my Joe Pye Weed yesterday, with more coming and going. The boys thought it was awesome. They love monarchs as their grandma’s summer hobby is raising and releasing them. She’s released well over 150 this year, a down year.

 

[BAKPAKR]

 

[CRJR45]