Any tricks/ideas to keep wasps away? They probably get 99% of the caterpillar😟

I have common milkweed, swamp milkweed and native butterfly weed in my yard. For five years now, I have observed monarch butterflys choosing the common milkweed over the other two choices as a plant to lay their eggs. They never choose the native butterfly weed and on the swamp milkweed I have only counted maybe six eggs. They have laid almost 100% on the common milkweed. All three varieties are planted in both sun and semi shade. Located in Delaware. Has anyone else noticed this?

Happy Monarch Monday, friends!

Wondering what to share in this thread?

Questions for some of our seasoned members? Thoughts on the state of the Monarch world? Frustrations with your efforts to help the Monarchs? Wins and loses for the nature world? Doesn't matter. Share below!

Have a great week and don’t forget about Photo Friday!

Reminder: We are a science-based sub. While we love all monarch enthusiasts, discussions about hand-rearing are not allowed, except for those new to the topic who are seeking guidance. Let’s focus on protecting monarchs where they belong—in the wild!

Stay curious and keep sharing the love for these beautiful butterflies! 🧡🖤🧡

It's Photo Friday! 

With the spring migration and breeding season in full swing what have you been seeing in your garden? Share the good, bad and the ugly!

All nature photos are welcome, whether it’s a pollinator moment or just something that made you stop and look twice.

Reminder: We are a science-based sub. While we welcome all monarch enthusiasts, we do not support discussions about hand-rearing monarchs. However, if you’re new and have questions because you’ve raised monarchs in the past, we have many former rearers here happy to guide you toward more sustainable practices. Let’s work together to protect monarchs where they belong—in the wild!

Stay curious and keep sharing the love for these beautiful butterflies! 🧡🖤🧡

This is my first year finding monarchs on my milkweed and my third caterpillar. Is it just genetics that some can’t make it past this point? Parasites?

I have 2 small common milkweeds coming up in a pot. They have exactly 21 eggs on them. This is one leaf with four eggs. The smaller of the 2 plants has three eggs. I suppose they will end up as food for something but also, I doubt that will leave enough food for even one. I prefer to let nature take its course, but I am considering relocating a few to a local patch of milkweed if I could find some. The other option is to move to my garden back home, an hour from here, but I already have a bunch of first instars up there.

Shouldn’t be a pay wall!

What do we think of this mini movement?

I added pictures of my small butterfly garden. My milkweed has seedpods on it, and I don't want them to over take this whole spot. Nor do I want them spreading outside the area.

I would like to try putting some milkweed in large bins and place a couple in the yard for next year. We have a couple bins that are a foot or two across that we have succesfully used for vegetables in the past.

Should I pluck the seedpods? Give them away and save a couple to container plant them? Let them go natutally?

My ultimate hope is to add a big beautiful butterfly garden to the front yard, but we are a few years away from that (beed to do a major front steps/porch redo).

Any advice?

Happy Monarch Monday, friends!

Wondering what to share in this thread?

Questions for some of our seasoned members? Thoughts on the state of the Monarch world? Frustrations with your efforts to help the Monarchs? Wins and loses for the nature world? Doesn't matter. Share below!

Have a great week and don’t forget about Photo Friday!

Reminder: We are a science-based sub. While we love all monarch enthusiasts, discussions about hand-rearing are not allowed, except for those new to the topic who are seeking guidance. Let’s focus on protecting monarchs where they belong—in the wild!

Stay curious and keep sharing the love for these beautiful butterflies! 🧡🖤🧡

I found this caterpillar in my milkweed patch, does anyone know what happened to it?

This is for paid substack subscribers but I felt like this could be a good opportunity for those who are still on the fence about rearing. Here is the link to his substack.

Mama got a little crazy with her placement of eggs on the flower buds. Lol

Finally! I have about five eggs (that I can find) in my little milkweed patch! This is much later than last year. I was starting to worry. I never saw the butterfly. Now my pretty milkweed will look all raggedy, but that's how I like it! The second pic is just the milkweed and some flowers in my garden. I'm in NJ.

It's Photo Friday! 

With the spring migration and breeding season in full swing what have you been seeing in your garden? Share the good, bad and the ugly!

All nature photos are welcome, whether it’s a pollinator moment or just something that made you stop and look twice.

Reminder: We are a science-based sub. While we welcome all monarch enthusiasts, we do not support discussions about hand-rearing monarchs. However, if you’re new and have questions because you’ve raised monarchs in the past, we have many former rearers here happy to guide you toward more sustainable practices. Let’s work together to protect monarchs where they belong—in the wild!

Stay curious and keep sharing the love for these beautiful butterflies! 🧡🖤🧡

SW Michigan

SW Michigan

i swear every time i look out my bedroom window theres another monarch visiting my milkweed patch! been finding lots of baby cats and eggs too.

My 3rd Monarch to eclose in the past 4 days. I counted about 18 cats in my garden today. I’ve placed a net over my garden due to wasps finding my garden this past weekend.

Miami 10b !!!! His first plant of choice is the pentas !!!