• Mojojojo1993@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    I had about 5 swan plants.

    I get why the rate of decline in monarchs.

    They would eat a plant to destruction them move on to the next one. I lost hundreds of caterpillars. Still have some cocoons that didn’t survive from last year.

    They really need to come up with a better plan. Also doesn’t help that swam plants are poisonous to a bunch of other animals. So can’t plant them anywhere near where other animals are.

    • invalidname@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Also, wasps eat the caterpillars and if they find the plant, will keep coming back till they’re all gone!

    • liv@lemmy.nz
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      5 months ago

      They also eat moth vine so you can switch them to that.

      The really big ones (after their moults) can finish off with pumpkin peelings!

      You can plant South American Milkweed instead of swan plants, butterflies lay on that.

      Giant Swanplants are bigger and hardier as well.

        • liv@lemmy.nz
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          5 months ago

          Giant Swan is found for sale, maybe the Moths and Butterfly Trust on Trademe is selling it?

          Moth vine is a common pest plant, there’s probably some in any suburban area your council can’t reach with spray.

          • Mojojojo1993@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            Looks like giant swan is what I normally use. I don’t live anywhere near suburban. But I’ll be on the look out. Sounds like it dies off in the cold

  • Dave@lemmy.nzM
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    5 months ago

    So today I saw a Monach butterfly looking thing, but it was only about 1cm long. I’m under the impression butterflies come out of the chrysalis the size that they stay. Anyone know what I might have seen?

  • liv@lemmy.nz
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    5 months ago

    Thank you, I’ve been away from my butterflies this year so it’s nice to see this.

    Hope you do well too. In recent years I have taken to giving precarious cocoons (attached to green leaves etc) a safety rope made out of cotton so they won’t fall, seems to work.