This guy started his chrysalis but never completed it. Anyone know what happened?

We started our pollinator garden three years ago, added Milkweed last year and replaced it this Spring - yesterday we found three caterpillars on our small Milkweed just in time for a Thunderstorm and unexpected cold snap. We put a shelter over the plant but I’m still worried about getting them through the weather. Any advice is welcome!

I’ve seen a lot of people say tropical milkweed is harmful and should never be planted but the truth is this issue is a lot more complicated. It’s not just about one plant being good or bad. There’s a lot of debate among scientists and researchers and the actual research isn’t as black and white as people make it sound.

Some scientists are concerned about tropical milkweed because it doesn’t die back in winter like native milkweeds. That can lead to a few problems. One is the spread of OE a parasite that affects monarchs and can build up on plants when they’re left growing all year. Another is that monarchs might stop migrating if they have a constant food source which throws off their natural life cycle.

But that’s where cutting it back comes in. Scientists have said that trimming tropical milkweed regularly like once a month during the growing season helps stop OE from spreading and encourages monarchs to keep migrating like they’re supposed to. So it’s not that tropical milkweed is always harmful. It just needs to be managed right.

Also it’s important to remember that any badly managed milkweed even native types can also become a problem. If native milkweed gets overcrowded or left in poor conditions it can still help spread disease just like tropical milkweed. It’s not just a tropical issue it’s a management issue.

Some experts like Hugh Dingle have said banning tropical milkweed doesn’t really address the main issues monarchs are facing which are habitat loss pesticides and climate change. Chip Taylor from Monarch Watch and others have pointed out that tropical milkweed can actually be helpful if people cut it back and grow it responsibly. Monarchs need food and in many areas people have already removed so much habitat that tropical milkweed might be one of the few things left helping them.

That’s why saying things like no milkweed is better than tropical milkweed can be dangerous. If people hear that and stop planting milkweed altogether monarchs could lose even more of the food they rely on. A badly managed plant is a fixable issue. No food at all is not.

Yes tropical milkweed can have higher cardenolide levels under stress like heat but monarchs also feed on native milkweed species with high levels. There’s no solid proof that tropical milkweed is causing widespread harm in the wild. A lot of the studies people reference are still experimental or limited in scope.

Also just because it’s not native doesn’t automatically make it bad. There are examples like eucalyptus that were once thought to be harmful but ended up helping monarchs in some areas. Same could be true for tropical milkweed when used responsibly.

It’s okay to be cautious but treating tropical milkweed like it’s always the enemy misses the bigger picture. Monarchs need our help and we should be focusing on solutions that actually support them not scare people away from planting the very thing they depend on.

Moral of the story is the debate around tropical milkweed isn’t as black and white as some people make it. The truth is we don’t know for certain the true cause of the OE or migrating issues. Anyone telling you in certainty they know is spreading misinformation. They may mean well but is harmful advice.

Sources:

https://news.illinois.edu/report-milkweed-losses-may-not-fully-explain-monarch-butterfly-declines/?

https://ucanr.edu/blog/bug-squad/article/tropical-milkweed-doesnt-deserve-bad-rap

https://texasbutterflyranch.com/2021/02/22/tropical-milkweed-impact-on-monarch-butterflies-vastly-overblownsays-longtime-butterfly-researcher/

https://naba.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tropical-Milkweed.pdf

https://agrawal.eeb.cornell.edu/2020/03/02/qa-about-tropical-milkweed-asclepias-curassavica/

I ran out of my planted native, so resorted to “feeder” tropical plants. This was after 3 hours with the plant, and there were 4 others in the habitat! (I have plenty more in reserve)

Finally managed to get one eclosing on Timelapse! I had three eclose yesterday, two perfect boys and one beautiful girl :)

I can post better pictures but right now this is the only milk weed plant I have. Started off with 3 plants and they got savagely eaten up so now I combine them all into one pot. But I feel like it can still grow some more and get bigger and get more leaves. Any fertilizer recommendations or suggestions things I should put in the pot to make it grow?

This little guy and lady:

• Were always on the same branch, never more than a couple inches from each other
• Chose chrysalis spots right beside each other
• J hang and pupated at the exact same time
• Both had their silk pads detach from the mesh at the same time, and I witnessed both chrysalises fall together.
• I pegged them both up close to each other (but with plenty of room) as they were close to eclosing
• Emerged within minutes of each other, and flew off together.

I’ve truly never seen this happen with monarchs, has anyone? These two were inseparable fatties (last pic), transformed together, and blissfully departed into their new life together. 🦋🦋

A lot of hungry mouths to feed !!!!

You can’t (or you can if you really don’t care about the Monarchs you are killing trying to support) ignore the science. Tropical milkweed is a major contributor to OE, its evergreen and in warmer climates can be toxic to the caterpillars who consume it. When you go to your local nursery make sure to ask if the milkweed you are buying is native. Do a little research on how to stop Tropical milkweed. This goes for giant milkweed as well.

I saw them climbing the wall yesterday and noticed they were staying above the door and I was like that’s definitely gonna be their spot. They made a J formation a couple hours later and then this morning they are fully formed into their chrysalis :)

My latest attempt at growing milkweed. This was a larger seedling I transplanted last fall. I cut the bottom from a Folgers coffee container to protect it. Zone 7b. 🤞🏻

I'm working on getting my pollinator garden (zone 8a): got my milkweed going and various other nectar plants growing.

Now I'm working on tidying up the patio in the garden and thinking about some "pollinator accoutrements" like a watering station, bee hotel, hummingbird feeders, etc.

I love the idea of a butterfly house like the one pictured, to give butterflies (especially our traveling monarchs) a safe place to rest overnight. But... will butterflies actually use something like this? And my bigger question is if they do, can they get back out?? Like, I know that they just need to fold their pretty little wings and crawl out one of those slots, but do THEY know that? Lol

And if not, any suggestions on creating an appropriate overnight resting spot for butterflies in my garden?

TIA!

Hey everyone! Planted my first milkweed this year and I was just wondering if yall thought this was an egg? I am dying to get some monarchs in the garden and saw one the other day, but I couldn’t tell if this was an egg or not. Thanks!

And mistook me for a bush 🌳 Her plantmate was the male that hatched a few days ago! Included photo of them sharing a plant. Hope they find each other again!

Usually there’s only black at the tip of the egg, right? Thanks! I’m in SoCal if that’s important. (Don’t mind my nails)

Different angles of the two plants with the most cats.