# Monarch butterflies



## silence882 (Oct 20, 2016)

I plant a patch of milkweed for monarchs every year and managed to raise 5 this year. I live in the middle of a townhouse neighborhood so I don't get a whole lot of the adults flying through. I got lucky and caught these right after they emerged from their chrysalises.

















Spot the monarch on the Rose of Sharon:




3 monarchs on the fence:




The milkweed patch. In a perfect world every last leaf would be stripped by the monarch caterpillars.




--Stephen


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## My Green Pets (Oct 20, 2016)

Beautiful but I knew another plant known as milkweed, I wonder what they are.


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## Happypaphy7 (Oct 20, 2016)

Beautiful wings! 
I used to be crazy about big colorful butterflies. Killed one too many for collecting excuse.


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## adiaphane (Oct 20, 2016)

Gorgeous!


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## SlipperFan (Oct 20, 2016)

CambriaWhat said:


> Beautiful but I knew another plant known as milkweed, I wonder what they are.



There are several kinds of milkweed.

Beautiful shots, Stephen.


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## PaphMadMan (Oct 20, 2016)

Our friends outside North America may not known the unique life cycle of this endangered butterfly. As summer ends they migrate from all over North America to a single mountain pine forest in Mexico where they cover the trees, semi-dormant through winter. In spring the same butterflies begin the migration north, far enough to breed. Each butterfly of the migrating generation may fly thousands of miles then fly back to breed several months later. The migration north is completed by several generations through the summer, and the cycle repeats. Because their winter habitat is so small a single storm can wipe out much of the population. 



SlipperFan said:


> There are several kinds of milkweed.



At least 140 or so species of genus Asclepias throughout North America - broad leaves and narrow, flowers in every color but blue, ankle height to shoulder height plus vining types.


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## abax (Oct 20, 2016)

Marvelous creatures and excellent photo catch.


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## John M (Oct 21, 2016)

Beautiful photos. I have raised Monarchs many times over the years. 'Haven't done it for a while, though. I meant to go looking for caterpillars this past summer; but, never got around to it. Where did the summer go?! 

Witnessing the life cycle, especially the metamorphosis into the adult butterfly is incredible and never ceases to amaze me. Plus, they are so exquisitely beautiful!

Rarely (about once very 5, or 10 years), I'll find a Cecropia Moth cocoon. I place them inside a large cage that sits in the barn doorway. If a male hatches in the spring, I admire him for a short while and then let him go. If a female hatches, I keep her for a day or two. A male will find her by following the pheromones that she's emitting and they will mate through the bars. Then, the female begins laying eggs. Once she's deposited a couple dozen (out of about a total of 100 that she will produce), I let her go so that she can lay more eggs in natural places as well. 

Then, I hatch and raise the caterpillars, which is a lot of work. They need fresh branches covered in leaves every day. They grow to about 5" long! At that size, you don't want a lot of them because you'd need a ton of fresh leaves every day. However, raising a dozen or two is manageable. 

The following spring, I get to enjoy a few weeks of watching these HUGE, GORGEOUS silk moths hatching out. Then, I let them go to carry on their intended life cycle. They are quite rare; so, it's a real treat whenever I find a cocoon in the fall or winter and get to see one of these incredible creatures in person again when it emerges from the cocoon the following spring.


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## NYEric (Oct 21, 2016)

Cool. I find butterflies in the City usually come to places where fresh water is spraying. thanks for sharing


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## orchidman77 (Oct 21, 2016)

I grew up raising monarchs so I always find it quite special to see them! Thanks so much for sharing. 

David


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## SlipperFan (Oct 21, 2016)

Cecropias, Polyphemus and Luna Moths are wonderfully beautiful. Then there are the underwing moths which look very plain with their wings folded, but are amazing when they spread them out. And the sphinx moths, which include the one that pollinates Angraecum sesquipidale, and the Hummingbird Clear Wing. And the ... on and on. Moths are an amazing group of insects. I think more attention is paid to butterflies because we see them during the day. Moths are mostly night-flyers.


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## Ozpaph (Oct 22, 2016)

thank-you all for sharing


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