Is the fence the problem?

[skates4marty]

Do you find that monarchs (or b-flies in general) do not like gardens that are fenced? I have two plots of A tuberosa:
1) Right in front of the house on the west side. This has only one solid border: the house. This plot gets lots of monarch eggs.
2) On the south side of the house is an enclosed area: one side (5 ft) is the car port wall, 1 side is 3-ft high chainlink fence, 3 ft long, the third side is 6 ft of chainlink. The fourth side is open in the spring but blocked by cosmos in the fall. This plot gets relatively few eggs.

I'm wondering if the butterflies don't like to dip into the enclosed area. I am thinking of digging large chunks of the A tube and moving them. Is that worth it? Or does transplanting give low yield and I should just plant seeds? I've read that A tuberosa doesn't like to be transplanted, but it seems to be going to waste where it is.

[Mona Miller]

I'd plant other species of milkweeds. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) has a lot more toxins than Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa). Butterfly Weed is a great nectar source, but not a great plant for a host plant. Some years, they won't even use it. Swamp Milkweed will adapt to regular garden soil. I have a variety called "Asclepias incarnata pulchra". It blooms later in the summer and has wonderful large leaves. I'd recommend that variety.

http://www.delawarewildflowers.org/plant.php?id=0168
Photo

Monarch Watch has Waystation kits, which include several species of milkweed and other nectar plants:
http://shop.monarchwatch.org/product.aspx?p=125522(base)
Product Description
To create a habitat for monarchs, we need to provide milkweeds for the larvae, nectar plants for the adults, and sufficient vegetation to provide shelter for the larvae, pupae and adults. This Monarch Waystation Seed Kit is designed to enable you to create a habitat suitable for monarchs within the context of a traditional garden. Included are 12 varieties of nectar and monarch host plants (individual packets of approximately 20-30 seeds) and a detailed "Creating a Monarch Waystation" guide.
For more information about Monarch Watch's Monarch Waystation Program please visit www.MonarchWatch.org/waystations
The Monarch Waystation Seed Kit includes seed packets of six milkweeds and six general nectar plants. Please note that substitutions may be made due to current seed availability.
Milkweed:
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata subsp. incarnata)
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata subsp. pulchra)
Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)
General Nectar Plants:
Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum)
Tithonia Torch, Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia)
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Zinnia, Dahlia Mix (Zinnia elegans)
Purple Horse Mint (Monarda citriodora)
Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella)
Partridge Pea (Cassia fasciculata)

[Mona Miller]

http://shop.monarchwatch.org/product.aspx?p=125522(base)
This is the Monarch Watch Shop web page for the Waystation seeds.

[skates4marty]

Thanks for the info. I use A tuberosa to attract gravid females. Once I retrieve the eggs or instars, I switch them to common milkweed. (I didn't know it was common until you ID'd it for me on the Rearing forum -- I just knew the leaves were big!) This system works for me -- picking off one skinny leaf from the A tube to get the egg preserves lots of leaves to attract the next female.

[dandjtaylor]

I have a 6-foot stockade around my entire yard/garden. If anything, it becomes a nice windbreak on those days when it is difficult for the large-winged butterflies to fly without exerting more energy. I found that there were just as many 'flies in the garden on very windy days as on calmer days.

I also retrieved only a single egg off of butterfly weed this summer. I have 3 groups of butterfly weed equalling about 12 total. By far, the swamp milkweeds, regardless of location in the yard, were the top draw for egg deposition.

[summerluver]

I'm so glad you're discussing this so I can plan for next year. I had bought the monarch kit with all the seeds included and planted in a greenhouse I was fortunate to get a hold of in a teaching position a couple of years ago. Some species grew well, and others really didn't. I planted A tuberosa in my garden this year to attract the butterflies and had heard that they lay eggs on them, but didn't have any visitors. They didn't even seem interested in the nectar. Had some success raising ny swamp milkweed, but it didn't come back the next year in my milkweed patch. Was overcome by the common milkweed. Maybe I shoud separate them for next year. My tropical milkweed came back in the two areas I have it, but it's away from the others in my veggie and flower gardens. Risky up here, because of the cold winters, to get it to return the next year. It was generally more successful for gathering eggs though, because it was resistant to the fungus that got everything else. Just needed to keep pinching off the milkweed aphids as they appeared, or they destroyed the plants.