What happens if I run out of food?

[shelley]

I haven't had monarchs in 3 years. For some reason the plants have not survived long enough. I was suprised to find 15 larvae the other day. My only problem is I don't think there will be enough food. Will they just go ahead and form a chrysalis early, or will they die? I'm going out today to see if I can find some plants, but I couldn't find any earlier. I bought 3 from mail order but they didn't make it. If anyone knows any sellers in the Northern VA region or Richmond I'd be happy to make the drive so I can raise these guys.

Shelley

[mommalepapillon]

i seem to remember on one of hte fourms someone feeding them summer squash?> you can use the Search and do a site search

Best of Luck!

[shelley]

Thanks for the info on the squash. I did look up that post and will go out and buy some squash though my guys seem to be pretty picky. I have another variety of Asclepsis? but the monarchs don't lay eggs on them and the larvae don't seem interested. I'm amazed at the people that say their milkweed grows like weeds and they have to cut it back. I get about 5 stalks if I'm lucky on my plants and they don't spread. well, my husband just said I'm out of leaves again, so I guess I'll give them a few more and go get that squash.

[JoAnn_B]

Please let me know the results of feeding the cats summer squash. I am constantly running out of milkweed. Before the plants have time to recover with new leaves, a bunch more eggs are layed. There is only one nusery left that sometimes still has milkweed. The last ones are covered with aphids.

If there is any alternative that works, I will try it.

Thanks!

[mommalepapillon]

do you let the milkweed go to seed ?

I had cut back a lot of mine thinking I wouldn't get any cats
and I only have two with pods ... so I am worried

good luck

[shelley]

I did run out and buy some yellow squash and yes they took to it quickly. My cats will ONLY eat the swamp milkweed, I couldn't get them to eat the other varieties. After several calls I found a nursery with 4 plants left. In the pouring rain of Ernesto I was out buying plants. They were covered in aphids, but the plants were still healthy and full of leaves. I had to wash all the leaves as I brought them in the house. I have never seen cats eat like these did. I usually feed twice a day, but these I had to feed about every 2 hours. I wasn't sure the 2 plants I bought were even going to be enough. I tried offering more squash to help the milkweed last. Some ate and some weren't as crazy about it. All 15 are now in a chrysalis. The squash idea gave me what I needed to get through 2 days of trying to find milkweed. I wouldn't have made it without it. Thanks for the idea.

[mommalepapillon]

Shelley that's great!! So glad the squash worked!

This forum is wonderful and I'm glad that I could finally help someone they all have helped me so much

Wow you are going to have a beautiful eclosing! Take pictures

I got just one chance to catch the eclosing ... here is a link if you are interested... (the tapping is a glitch in my camera it's off to the company to be fixed)


good luck
christine

[shelley]

Hi Christine! Oh I probably will take photos, though this isn't the first time I have done this. I raised 155 cats about 5 years ago. That was so cool! Then there was all that spraying for West Nile Virus in NY (I'm in VA). It affected my cats here (no monarchs to get cats). I think I got 5 the next year and then for whatever reason my milkweed has died before the monarchs even showed up. I was excited to even see the monarchs around this year and even more suprised that I got 15 cats. Maybe they are making a comeback. I also got to watch several of them change from cats to the chrysalis. Hard to catch them at that. I have lots of photos! Don't know how to post them though. Liked your video. [/img]