A monarch stopping by for a morning snack, nectar from a milkweed.
Morning snack
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Tag Archives: Milkweed plants
Hungry, hungry caterpillar
A monarch caterpillar chowing down on a giant milkweed leaf.
The monarch caterpillars feed solely on milkweed leaves, which produces glycoside toxins, according to the National Wildlife Federation, which deters other animals from eating the caterpillars. The toxins are stored making them taste bad and remains after they hatch into a butterfly, continuing to protect them.
For more information about monarch butterflies: visit my page: https://sweetbutterflybliss.com/monarch-butterfly/?frame-nonce=337ab32fc1
Laying eggs
The garden was extremely busy this afternoon, as a few female monarch butterflies sought out both young and older milkweed plants around the garden. I caught this one laying eggs, while a caterpillar was close by chowing down.
For more information about monarch butterflies: visit my page: https://sweetbutterflybliss.com/monarch-butterfly/?frame-nonce=337ab32fc1
More than 100 released
Almost a year ago my husband built my daughter and I a butterfly house, which has transformed in shape and size. Our house is positioned on our porch, giving us a great view from our family room to watch.
We started putting milkweed plants in the butterfly house, so we could witness the various stages of the caterpillar. I can still remember when my daughter saw a chrysalis being made. The excitement that bubbled over . . . mesmerized.
We have seen the life cycle of six species of butterflies so far.
On May 3, 2022, three years since we started the butterfly garden, I released six monarch butterflies into our garden that we successfully raised. Those six released were numbers 99-104.
I still cannot put into words how special and magical it is to have a butterfly sit on your hand waiting to take its first flight.
For more information about monarch butterflies: visit my page: https://sweetbutterflybliss.com/monarch-butterfly/?frame-nonce=337ab32fc1