The Very Hungry Caterpillars by rhoing

The Very Hungry Caterpillars

Monarch caterpillars on butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), with a very intentional reference to Eric Carle’s 1969 book in the title above.

[ PXL_20230507_233055137S105x70Utm :: cell phone ]

Looking back
  1 year ago: “At the post office”
 2 years ago: “Lungwort [Travel day]”
 3 years ago: “Obsolete”
 4 years ago: “ETSOOI’ed again…”
 5 years ago: “Viburnum leaves (I think)”
 6 years ago: “Photographing lunch”
 7 years ago: “Barn art”
 8 years ago: “Pre-finals week service dog visit”
 9 years ago: “Hover fly on Gomphrena globosa”
10 years ago: “Hoya australis”
11 years ago: “In honor of the super-moon?”
12 years ago: “Well, somebody has to go first!”
So nice to see! I'm still looking for some milkweed plants. I'm probably going to have to drive to other side of Columbia to find them which will be a 100 plus mile round trip - which I really don't want to do.
June 5th, 2023  
@marlboromaam It's taken me three years, but it's been easy to grow them from a $5-6 packet of Burpee seeds. I just planted a few more, and while all the caterpillars became a food source for other life forms, the flowers are busy with pollinators now!
June 5th, 2023  
@rhoing I could probably find some seeds. Might be better than finding the plants. I just don't have a green thumb. =)
June 5th, 2023  
@marlboromaam We learn by screwin' up! My $5-6 seed packet had 50-60 seeds. I planted them all. Got 3 plants to survive. Turned out I put the seeds too deep in the soil. I did a much better job a year ago when I planted the new bed and got a super high germination rate and obtained a garden that attracted mama Monarchs this year … even if I didn't protect the babies. :-(
June 6th, 2023  
@rhoing We do what we can. I'm still working on the snake baffle with your idea for the bluebird house in the tree. I'm working on three more different ones for the power poles and the ones on the fence. BTW, I've seen first hand a rat snake go out of his way to avoid the sulfur powder I put around the fence and poles where the houses are located. I was very pleased about that! I want to get more plants to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, but that might have to wait until next summer. Other financial priorities are in the way.
June 6th, 2023  
A wonderful sight!
June 6th, 2023  
@marlboromaam I’ve wondered how that project was going!
Since none of “my” caterpillars survived to spin a chrysalis, I’ve been researching bird deterrents. Unfortunately, they seem to figure out that scary-looking things aren’t necessarily a threat if they don’t move and don’t exhibit any motion. I’m thinking about mosquito netting when I see eggs or caterpillars to give them a fighting chance.
June 6th, 2023  
@rhoing It may be old-fashioned but aluminum pie tins tied to poles so they can flap in the breeze are still pretty good to scare off some birds. Worked for my grandparents. Otherwise, the netting sounds like a plan to me! =)
June 6th, 2023  
@rhoing As these baffles get done, I'll post the pictures for your evaluation. =)
June 6th, 2023  
@marlboromaam Not *my* evaluation!
If they work, they work.
If they don't, it's on to a Plan B!
June 7th, 2023  
Well spotted and captured.
June 7th, 2023  
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