Garden Friday

 

 

Welcome to Garden Friday!

Today, it's all about the Monarchs!

 

As you can see here, our milkweed has been stripped bare.

Most of it has been left in ruins, eaten until there is nothing left.

 

I couldn't be happier about it.

We grow milkweed specifically to support the Monarch caterpillars.

We are a certified Monarch Way Station,

which means that we provide all the resources necessary

to enable these critters to proliferate.

 

With an ample food source, they found our homestead

and decided to stay a while.

 

Some time last week,

the count of cats stood at 23.

Thankfully, we had enough plants to feed them all.

Milkweed is the host plant for Monarchs.

It is the only thing they eat.

 

This was the first time I'd ever seen one 

trying to get into the house!

This is the space between the screen door and the jamb.

No doubt this lil' one was ready to form its chrysalis,

and was looking for a safe and protected spot.

It was relocated to

 

the front window.

I left it to roam on the window sill,

where it is sheltered under the porch overhang.

It must have decided the spot would do,

and went about attaching itself to the top of the sill.

That "J" shape means it's getting ready to spin its covering.

 A few hours later I checked back, 

and this is what I saw.

The Monarch chrysalis is unique in that 

it has tiny gold specks adorning the emerald green casing.

 

 

 By the end of the week, we found quite a few 

underneath our front porch table, 

as well as several in other spots near the porch.

It amazes me that they know just where the chrysalis

will be the safest and most likely to complete its transformation.

It should be quite a show!

 

 

We'll do a follow up as soon as there is anything to report.

 

 

Here's hoping that you find something absolutely breathtaking on your homestead!

 

Here are some other caterpillar and butterfly posts:

 

Home to Monarchs

Native Milkweed 

Nurturing Caterpillars and Butterflies