HELP! Monarch laid eggs on plumeria plant

[tracyjlagrange]

I live in Iowa but bought plumeria cuttings in Fl on a visit a couple of years ago, I have for the past couple of days saw a monarch flying around my plumeria plants & today saw her laying eggs on it. (I have other milkweed in the yard) Can the caterpillers live on plumeria leaves it is milky, is it considered a milkweed? do I wait till they hatch & then give them milkweed? & 1 more thing do the caterpillers (in general) have to eat the same type of milkweed they were born on? Thanks for your help.

Tracy

[Andrea]

Hey Tracy,

Maybe one my butterflies flew from Florida up to you and thought the Plumeria reminded it of my garden. Just kidding! I have Plumeria in my garden and never seen them interested in it. Plumeria is a deciduous tree/shrub and not related to the milkweed. I believe the sap is poisonous too. They can get big!! Down in the Florida Keys there was one that towered over the second floor of a hotel. Unfortunately a hurricane took it down.

This is just my opinion here...but I don't think that your hatching eggs will grow on Pulmeria so you may want to get them on to a milkweed leaf very soon after hatching. I'm not too sure how you will do that...maybe place some milkweed leaves strategically near the eggs. Seondly, I've never heard that cats must eat the same species of milkweed that they emerged on. Maybe someone else on the forum has that information.

Andrea

[tracyjlagrange]

thanks for your reply I'll try to get them on milkweed as soon as they hatch I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

[Jim]

Also, be sure to check out our article on Monarchs and Plumeria

[Andrea]

Thank so for link regarding the plumeria. When I finished reading it I checked outside to see if there were any eggs on the plumeria. Couldn't find any but will keep checking. If I start to find eggs then I may removed the it.

[Andrea]

I need English classes!!! I'm so sorry for the jumble above.

[Jim]

I need English classes!!! I'm so sorry for the jumble above.

FYI - you can go back and edit your own post if you decide you forgot something or made a few typos...

[tracyjlagrange]

Sorry for the post, I did search: PLUMERIA but didn't think I found anything, I did actually find that page just didn't go down far enought. Thanks for your help.

[Andrea]

I'm glad you did ask as I learned some new stuff about frangipangi that I never knew, some of which is rather embarassing as I've had them round me most my life and was totally clueless.

[tracyjlagrange]

I cut the leaves down to the egg, leaving only a little of the leaf & set it on a milkweed leaf & so far the 1 that hatched did move right off the plumeria & onto the milkweed & is eatting there. Cross fingers the rest are that smart.

[tracyjlagrange]

I have found more eggs on the plumeria & everyone moved right off what was left of the plumeria leaf & moved right to the milkweed leave & started eatting. Even the one baby cat that I found on the plumeria that ate a small whole in the leaf has made it 3 days so far & is eatting well.

[mommalepapillon]

That's good news.. like to hear it keep us posted
Christine

I have found more eggs on the plumeria & everyone moved right off what was left of the plumeria leaf & moved right to the milkweed leave & started eatting. Even the one baby cat that I found on the plumeria that ate a small whole in the leaf has made it 3 days so far & is eatting well.