It's a Boy!

[dandjtaylor]

Well, it took 21 days from egg to butterfly, but the first one finally eclosed yesterday afternoon, a large and perfect male.

There are 12 more clear ones for today then another 180 or so chrysalis just waiting for their turn with nature.

Both of my enclosures are full of chrysalis. I cannot wait for what the rest of the summer brings! Let's get that population back up there for the return in the fall.

[Mona Miller]

My summer hasn't even started. I saw one female yesterday, but she didn't stay long. The other female was not gravid.

I've almost got the aphids down to a manageable size that is if I keep on top of them--spraying, sqishing, spraying, sqishing....

I keep checking my milkweed. Only earwings, milkweed beetles, spiders, and I often see those dang wasp looking them over, too. I keep a small net tucked in my belt for netting and stumping those awful European Paperwasp. I think the wasp build their nests at my neighbors house and come over to my house to eat.

[dandjtaylor]

Yeah, I do the same with the wasps and yellow jackets. Earwigs too. Seems like they love to hang out in the top two newest leaves or in the blossoms hidden. I kill probably 10-20 a day of each.

This year, I bought the little butterfly tent to let the new ones dry out in since last year I had a couple that got attacked by yellow jackets and got their wing sawed off while they were hanging out hardening off. That was a terrible thing to watch. I didn't give them the satisfaction of lunch though; I took the injured into the freezer.

Well, Mona, let's hope you get your butterflies and eggs soon.

[Mona Miller]

Not so far, but I always have hope. I'm having a good year with the Red Admirals, Spicebush, and Pipevine.

[MNkristin]

almost feel I should have posted this under my original 'new at this' posting. but since lots of you were talking about pests, thought I'd jump in the discussion.Due to a very wet spring and summer, I like lots of others in my area have lots of earwigs and other nasties. I am wondering what earwigs do to monarchs? thanks much. oh- I got to watch my 7th cat turn into a chrysalis today

[Mona Miller]

EAT, EAT, EAT... SORRY.

[MNkristin]

was EAT EAT EAT...SORRY - a reply to my question about earwigs? they eat the milkweed? the monarch eggs? monarch larvae? ...

[Mona Miller]

They eat the milkweed and Monarch eggs and caterpillars. I squish the earwigs when I find them in the top of the milkweed.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... clnk&gl=us
"Earwigs are omnivorous insects that love to eat corn silk, insects, eggs and plant parts."

[MNkristin]

I learned from my local garden store a way to trap earwigs- sounds like it's pretty effective
Earwigs do consume few aphids -but it attacks leafy and flowering plants. damage similar to slug damage but can be found in even the sunniest of spots(zinnias marigolds beans...)Trap em in small dish
of vegie oil set in garden. They're attracted to the oil but wont be able to get out. You can build a
tiny dome of chicken wire to keep cats and dogs from lapping up the oil

[Mona Miller]

I'm having a real fun summer--NOT. The female that I just netted won't mate with the male. I had to put some critter netting around my tent to keep something from tearing it up. A black snake got caught in the netting and died--I feel awful. I am afraid of snakes, but have learner to respect them because they eat mice, which carry Lymes Disease.

I am having trouble with Earwigs, I can try the oil, wonder what will drop in it and die other than the Earwings--sorry it's been a rough day in paradise.

[sbannister]

My summer has been similar to yours Mona. I had to purchase Milkweed with eggs in the spring and reared them but when I released them, they did not stick around. Then in June I had a couple of visitors that laid a few eggs and I reared about 7 from them, but they did not stay around either. My milkweed is taller than I've ever seen it and full of aphids and the small milkweed bugs. I had plenty of ants adn wasps as well. I kind of gave up looking at it but yesterday I found eggs! So I am bringing in as many in as I can now. I will do my best to get the population up. I wanted to help to clean the birds that were in the oil spill down here but it requires several months of training and permits and I just don't have time becaue I work full time, so I will stick to butterfly conservation.

I almost gave up on the Monarchs, but I think they will rebound. I have had a lot of swallowtails of several species but very low numbers of Monarchs.

[dandjtaylor]

Well, I certainly feel for you folks that are having a slow start. But here it is very encouraging. We released 46 yesterday for a total in the past week and a half of somewhere near 100. A lot are hanging around, especially a male who has staked his claim on our garden. He is agressive toward anything coming too close.

Be positive, they'll be there.