When one door closes, another opens....

11 years ago

So Part 1 of my Monarch season has passed, as they have left the Gulf coast (TX) and are heading north. My last chrysalis should eclose tomorrow. Sort of sad until it all starts over again in a few months when they pass through. My milkweed should be mostly recovered by then!

Meanwhile, it's now GST season and here are the newest occupants. They were grown outside in bags. I covered the branches that had eggs on them and they weathered about 12" of rain, etc. That's the way to go!! These are so much bigger than any I recall from last year.

Can frass be used for plant fertilizer, because these guys are really making a lot of it!

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Comments (6)

docmom_gw
11 years ago
Certainly the frass can be used for fertilizer. Those are some beautiful GST cats! How many Monarchs were you able to release during your first stage? I haven't seen any near me, yet. I thought I was seeing leaf damage from Monarch cats, but recently found a new beetle eating the milkweed leaves. It looks like a cross between a slug and a lady bug, and it is defoliating the milkweed seedlings. Maybe I'll post a picture if I can get them from my phone to my iPad.

Martha
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
Original Author
11 years ago
I have had 20 chrysalides (new word for me!) since early May. One never eclosed...so that one was frozen as many suggested that it may have OE.

The other night, Thursday, there was a surprise downpour of 2.2" in 90 minutes. I had released a butterfly about 6:00 pm and the rain hit 45 minutes later. Immediately upon release it flew up into a large oak. When I came home shortly before it got dark, I saw something in the grass. I walked over and it was a Monarch with severely broken wings. There may have been a brief period of hail....anyway, not knowing what else to do I humanely euthanized it.

But that's 18 successes in my first attempt at raising Monarchs!
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angelimperfect36
11 years ago
beautiful GST! I am raising mine as well. My first one had enclosed and was released this morning. Was so excited. The monarch season this year have not been well. I have seen a lot of them in the garden but for cats? No. Wasps keeps getting to them before I could. So I gave up. Let the nature take courses until I see one then of course, I will save it. I got lucked out and saw 3 GST eggs on my lemon tree so of course I took it in and two of them are as big as yours and one is still small, taking it's time obviously. Excited. I also am raising Eastern Black Swallowtail Caterpillars as well.
docmom_gw
11 years ago
I still haven't seen any eggs or cats of any sort, but my pollinator garden is flourishing. Now I just need the critters to find it. Numbers are down around me. I wonder how the fruit set is on all the fruit trees in the area. I haven't heard any reports yet.

Martha
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
Original Author
11 years ago
My biggest GST cat is fashioning his girdle this morning. Such an interesting process! When I get home, I bet he looks like the branch!
Beth Willett
11 years ago
I didn't realize that the monarchs would just "pass through" Texas. I thought they stayed around until fall. So lucky you gets those wonderful GST eggs! I keep searching......! Have fun raising them!