Monarch Lifecycle Crash Course | Milkweed Plant Basics

[@katiecannon8186]

Also, it’s just wild how fast the natives go from some pitiful little baby plant to huge, thriving, amazing plants.

[@WildFloridian]

I know!! I heard a talk recently from the Florida Native Plant Society discussing this... they think it is to get above the burn line/zone. Since Florida's ecosystem is based on regular burns.

[@katiecannon8186]

@@WildFloridian That makes lots of sense! How interesting!

[@Abscissa_]

i did not know about the antennae, that's a great way to tell what stage they are in! Another cool thing we noticed with our monarchs is that the chrysalis will start the turn transparent a day or so before they emerge as a gorgeous monarch!

[@WildFloridian]

Such a good point!!! I've seen that too!

[@katiecannon8186]

Your garden is looking so beautiful !!!! Time for a general garden update tour 😀

[@WildFloridian]

Thank you Katie! You are so right... I'll do that!

[@kathymartin5730]

Youre such great teacher. Wish you could come to our Butterfly club

[@susanparker-heitel702]

My cats and monarch’s love my passion vines

[@WildFloridian]

Yay! Passion vine is so pretty!

[@shirleyk623]

@Susan Parker-Heitel. Passion vine is the host plant for Gulf Fritillary caterpillar/butterfly. The caterpillar is a beautiful red and black creature if I remember correctly. Hornets and wasps love to make their home in those thick vines. Had to cut mine down because hubby is allergic to the stings (ER allergic 😳) I loved raising Fritillary butterflies but had to give it up.🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

[@jbeachbob58]

Great review for me WF. I have Biology degree and have forgotten alot. So Thank you. Keep it up. I Enjoy the channel much.

[@onelove1950]

Hope you had a Happy Mother's Day !

[@clarissabermudez]

Yaaaayyy another one ❤

[@RevAcres01]

Great video I learned alot. The garden is looking really good. 🐛

[@sandrad682]

Great video!. I learned a lot and will put your suggestions into practice.

[@WildFloridian]

Glad it was helpful! 🥰

[@Tradewind777]

Thank you for this! Great information!

[@gidget8717]

Wonderful information! (not that I'm surprised, you always do a wonderful job with your videos💗)

[@tiadrumgold4702]

Awesome info!

[@katharine5606]

I learned so much-- thanks!

[@hildachacon001]

Wow what an awesome crash course on Milkweed & Monarchs. Thank you SO much! My Milkweed plant is growing very slow, it’s growing in a 5” pot. Should it be in the ground, raised garden bed or larger pot?

[@WildFloridian]

You're welcome 😊 You can grow it in a pot depending on the type. I, personally, like to get plants in the ground and let them do their thing. BUT you can grow milkweeds, like swamp milkweed, in pots for a very long time. Best of luck!

[@Dalyluvr]

Finally spotted some monarch caterpillars last week on my milkweed as well as some swallowtail caterpillars on my navel orange tree. I was so excited. But the monarchs that I get only seem to get to their second stage and then they disappear which happened to this lot as well. I'm worried that since my butterfly/pollinator garden is out in the open that predators might be getting them. I also have a terrible oleander aphid problem on my milkweed. Not sure if that would affect the caterpillars but I'm running out of ideas on what I need to change to help my monarchs.

[@WildFloridian]

Yay for caterpillars... boo for disappearing. It is most likely predators... it usually evens out. I'll have a bunch of caterpillars for a month and then next month only see 1st and 2nd instar... and then it switches. I think as the predators move around it changes the caterpillar population. On aphids... the small wasps and ladybugs will come and get them. If they seem too much, then prune and just wipe them off. The aphids don't bother the caterpillars. You may want to test hand raising to check that you don't have a pesticide issue... from your lawn company, the city, or came with the plant.

[@shirleyk623]

@@WildFloridian The caterpillars can also disappear if your neighbors spray chemicals on their lawns. If I get a new neighbor I explain to them about raising butterflies. I tell them if you spray chemicals please tell me so I can wash my plants off around my house Incase of over spray and wind drifts of the chemicals. This really happened to me when a neighbor sprayed his lawn between our houses, I had 0 caterpillars for several weeks, until I saw him spraying I then washed my plants off between our houses after he sprayed. He worked for a pest control company..🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

[@itsvintagethyme7148]

There wasnt any mention of WHEN during the year this happens. New gardener, need to know. Thanks!

[@MiamiNeverIn]

I have swamp milk weed, i currently have 20 eggs on 8 leaves. I need to learn where i can find local Milkweed in S. FL .. just starting this lovely journey and did not expect to be invaded lol 🦋🥰

[@Sassycatsoapery]

Hi from Tampa Bay! Oh wow! Love this video. I did not know the caterpillars like to go for a walk! Also, good to know about the antennae! Is this a good time of year to plant milk weed? I have a lot of butterflies, they are swallow tails, and giant swallow tails, (I have big Dutchman’s Pipe vine) and I have been getting zebra long wings…. But no monarchs…:(

[@lonnasimanovski9708]

I just found a caterpillar a day or two ago. From your video, he seems to be 4th or maybe getting into 5th stage. It's Sept in MN which means it's getting pretty cool at night. Most of my milkweed is pretty sad already and stuff is dying down. I actually moved it to a newer milkweed. Is this little one even going to have time to transform and fly off?

[@NicoleHead-q5w]

Wonderful and informative videos! ❤ This past year we lost 30 or more caterpillars in one night to wasps. Do you have any suggestions for how to prevent that this year? We’ve put out traps (sticky and liquid traps) which is ok…. But not the best. Any deterrent plants I can plant that won’t deter the butterflies?

[@WildFloridian]

I find one of the best ways to have more caterpillar survive. Wasp is adding a ground cover plant like native blue Porter weed to the garden with your swamp milkweed the horizontal leaves to the ground shelter to the caterpillars and makes it harder for the wasp to find.

[@kariwolbert6983]

The milkweed you have is tropical, correct? If so, when do you cut them back?

[@laurawilson5666]

What month do Monarchs lay their eggs?

[@WildFloridian]

Depends where you live. I have eggs on my plants most of the year. Once they are in your area, you should have eggs shortly after