The Circle Continues

We found several chrysalis in the garden since the caterpillars dispersed from the Milkweed patch. We were about to go on vacation (a little over a week ago) so I was worried that we might not see any of them "hatch." Well, these two butterflies emerged the day before we left!

Under my children's picnic table

The butterflies hang for several hours while their wings dry. It is important not to touch them so they are not damaged.

Thank you Mr. Caterpillar!

Thank you Mr. Caterpillar for attaching your chrysalis to our window screen. Now we can easily see you through the bedroom window!

Inside view.
The chrysalis is right in the center of this photo.

Outside view.

Another Common Question...

Another common question that I receive is "My plants look terrible. The caterpillars ate everything! What do I do?" To me, this is a good thing! This means that the gardener has a successful butterfly garden. The garden has attracted the right butterflies to his/her host plants. These butterflies have laid eggs which have hatched. Now those caterpillars have eaten well and are continuing on their life cycle journey. I usually assure the gardener that their plants will return. In fact, I find that the caterpillars are natural pruners - otherwise the milkweed would grow out of control!

Here is my milkweed patch today - all sticks, no leaves (please see my previous posting for comparison). Those caterpillars are hungry!

Leaves are almost all gone.

The caterpillars have migrated towards the north side of the
Milkweed patch where some leaves still remain.

We counted at least 24 caterpillars!

Have a great weekend!

Are There Caterpillars in My Garden?

One of the questions I am often asked is "how do i know if there are caterpillars in my garden?" I have a few tips for determining that. Have you seen any butterflies land on your host plants recently? If so and the butterflies laid eggs, they should hatch in about a week. So that is a good time to check your plants for caterpillars. Now the baby caterpillars will be very tiny so you will have to look very carefully UNDER the  leaves of your host plants. This is where the eggs are laid. For those of us with bad eyes, including yours truly, you can begin your search two weeks later and the caterpillars will be much bigger. You should look under leaves that have holes and missing parts. This means they are mostly likely being eaten by caterpillars and they will be nearby. One last tip is if you see caterpillar frass (that is a fancy word for poop), the caterpillars are definitely present.

I saw some Monarchs lay eggs in my Milkweed patch during the last Fourth of July Weekend (about 10 days ago). Those eggs have hatched and our garden is full of caterpillars right now.

Note the holes and chewed appearance of the Milkweed leaves

Monarch caterpillar eating Milkweed leaves

Don't forget to look under the leaves!

There is some frass in the center of the plant - to the left of the top caterpillar.

Landscaping for Wildlife & Butterflies

Our friends at the local extension office will be hosting a presentation on Landscaping for Wildlife & Butterflies on August 3rd. There is a newly installed Butterfly Garden that you can visit before the lecture AND you will receive a butterfly plant and two books - wow!

Interested in Becoming a Master Gardener?

Local Friends - a new Master Gardener class is forming at the Orange County Extension office. I have loved being a Master Gardener and have made so many plant loving friends because of it. Check out the information below!

Bee balm (Monarda punctata)

Hello Gardening Friends! I have been preoccupied with end of the school year activities recently but things are now coming to an end. It was a fun and busy year that honestly, went by quickly!

Bee balm

Today I would like to tell you about Bee balm (Monarda punctata). My daughter and I came across some Bee balm growing around Lake Baldwin during our one of our walks.  It is also known as Spotted Horsemint, Dotted Horsemint, and Spotted Bee balm.  This is a wonderful nectar plant that also attracts hummingbirds.  I also love its crownlike appearance. It is a perennial native that grows 1.5 - 3 feet tall in full sun with tall pinkish flowers. Bee balm is moderately drought tolerant and not easily affected by pests and diseases. This makes it an easy plant to grow and it looks lovely en masse in a perennial border. An interesting note about Bee balm is native Americans use  it to brew a “sweating tea.” 

Reference
Gilman, E. amd Terry Delvalle, T. Monarda punctata Bee Balm, Horsemint. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fp413