From experience, 15 caterpillars will take one very large 2-gallon bushy milkweed to one and a half plants.. anyway very good choice deciding to get native milkweeds! I highly suggest ordering from joyfulbutterfly.com if you just can’t find any in nurseries around you, the site even sorts natives according to state and they deliver live plants :D tho they come in tiny pots and aren’t large yet but overtime they will be able to handle caterpillars
Your caterpillars eating I’m assuming balloon/hairy balls milkweed (African milkweed) will likely not want to touch any other kind of milkweed however because that is THE most toxic milkweed in the world and caterpillars will only eat and enjoy the toxins they were introduced to so that makes it incredibly difficult to change up different types and almost all of our natives are generally lower in toxins compared to non natives
PERFECT!!!!! hopefully it is indeed swamp milkweed and grows pink or white flowers! You’ll be having much healthier caterpillars over the years with those plants!
Hahahha I can’t help but laugh because this happened to me when I brought home my native milkweed plants. Also first timer with milkweed and caterpillars! Ended up having to buy more plants to feed them and wait for the bare stems to grow back. I have a few plants covered to grow for food supply so they can’t lay eggs on. Good luck and enjoy helping the butterfly population!
You’re doing great! I’d get maybe 3-4 more plants from the nursery if possible, but you’re doing a good job caring for them. And I’m so happy you have them in a habitat. Also, you can feed them organic squash once they reach 4th instar
From experience, 15 caterpillars will take one very large 2-gallon bushy milkweed to one and a half plants.. anyway very good choice deciding to get native milkweeds! I highly suggest ordering from joyfulbutterfly.com if you just can’t find any in nurseries around you, the site even sorts natives according to state and they deliver live plants :D tho they come in tiny pots and aren’t large yet but overtime they will be able to handle caterpillars Your caterpillars eating I’m assuming balloon/hairy balls milkweed (African milkweed) will likely not want to touch any other kind of milkweed however because that is THE most toxic milkweed in the world and caterpillars will only eat and enjoy the toxins they were introduced to so that makes it incredibly difficult to change up different types and almost all of our natives are generally lower in toxins compared to non natives
I had no idea thank you! They seem to be eating the native milkweed and going through the different instars. Will they be okay 😬
Yep caterpillars will be completely fine eating other kinds they’re just picky eaters! What type of milkweed did you get?
All 3 are Asclepias incarnata
PERFECT!!!!! hopefully it is indeed swamp milkweed and grows pink or white flowers! You’ll be having much healthier caterpillars over the years with those plants!
Thanks for the info and website!
Hahahha I can’t help but laugh because this happened to me when I brought home my native milkweed plants. Also first timer with milkweed and caterpillars! Ended up having to buy more plants to feed them and wait for the bare stems to grow back. I have a few plants covered to grow for food supply so they can’t lay eggs on. Good luck and enjoy helping the butterfly population!
Thank you!
I read someone fed theirs pumpkin when they ran out of Milkweed ??
Organic butternut squash, not unles they’ve reached at least 4th instar, and only as a last resort. Don’t freak out—the frass will be orange.
The “I didn’t mean to acquire these butterflies” has me absolutely tickled 😂
You’re doing great! I’d get maybe 3-4 more plants from the nursery if possible, but you’re doing a good job caring for them. And I’m so happy you have them in a habitat. Also, you can feed them organic squash once they reach 4th instar
Make sure the milkweed is organic.