Re: Mystery

I do have asclepias in my yard - both tuberosa and incarnata. It's just that the chrysalis (unmistakably a monarch) was so far from the host plants, and the caterpillar had to get to the daylily somehow. I have seen black swallowtail larvae leave their hosts to pupate, though...
Cathy
On Wednesday, September 15, 2004, at 01:14 PM, Donna wrote:

more than a mystery.....

The monarch are species dominated... how did it survive without asclepias leaves? Are you sure it is a monarch?

and another thought (must be thinking kinda day for me)....

Don't have many butterflies period in my yard this season. The only
thing different this year (other than weather) is the addition of purple
loosestrife (everyone calm down, neighbor thought it was so pretty,
struggling to get it under control in my yard, and she still has it
growing/seeding again this year).


Anyways, wondering if they couldn't find the correct food or something?
I have always been overly populated with butterflies till this year...
hum...


Donna



While I haven't seen a single Monarch this summer, saw my first monarch
chrysalis today, hanging on a daylily leaf. The mystery is how it got
there - yes, I know caterpillars have legs, but this location is a good
30 feet away from the nearest Asclepias and across a lawn from it. That
was one determined caterpillar!
Cathy 

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