22 Mar Monarch Butterflies arrive in my Orange County Garden – May 2018
Every year raising monarchs is unique and different! Butterfly gardening is a constant growing experience. Every year, things change within
the garden:
– Population change from year to year
– Predators and protecting caterpillars by raising in habitats
– O.e. parasite impact
– Bleaching milkweed and eggs to eliminate O.e.
– Care of caterpillars and chrysalids
– JOY of releasing beautiful newborn (eclosed) monarchs!
Lovely female monarch butterfly born in my garden in March, 2018
This beautiful female monarch butterfly was raised in my small cylindrical habitat. I brought the caterpillar/larva in from
narrow leaf native milkweed when about 5 days old, 2nd Instar. Cut a small stalk with fresh leaves from the plant each day,
placing the stem in a vase with water with a small opening so the caterpillar wouldn’t fall into the water. Kept adding
fresh leaves as the caterpillar ate them up. When it was ready to make its chrysalis, it crawled off the milkweed, as they
almost always do, and then I placed a small succulent plant in the habitat. It chose to make its chrysalis on the
succulent plant and hung there for the usual 2 weeks. It eclosed (emerged) a GORGEOUS female monarch butterfly.