That is awesome! For me I started small and then became a bit obsessed. I keep adding year after year. Each year the garden becomes healthier and attracts more butterflies. Good luck with your garden!
Hi Dave! I'm also in Minnesota, and I raise Monarchs. I have found 34 eggs so far on the young milkweed plants in my yard. It's unreal how soon they are here! I hope I can find enough milkweed to feed all of them as they grow! I may have to search around town for some other sources. It's crazy!
Shelly, Thanks for sharing. I wonder if the warm winter in MN and the midwest had an impact on migration for the Monarch. The numbers of monarchs were way down in Mexico this year. Good luck with your monarch eggs!
Missouri here. Last year, I spotted my first Monarch visitor on July 8. I have yet to spot a Monarch in my garden. In my location, there's a delay compared to last year. Hoping to see some soon.
Yes, I raised 4 caterpillars into Monarchs in May and have not seen any additional eggs or caterpillars. Finally this week I started to see a few monarchs hanging out in the garden. A very slow June and July?
Yes, it is so early. I did decide to raise my caterpillars inside. Hoping my milkweed grows enough this week to keep plenty of food available to the cats.
Dave I'm in Oakdale, MN and saw what I thought were viceroy butterflies two weeks ago - thought it was too early for monarchs. I'm wrong! Save them. Last late October I found 4 eastern black swallowtail cats on my golden Alexander plant. Brought them inside as it was getting too cold and they wouldn't make it. They ate the Alexander and their chrysalids are in a fridge and I'll be taking them out so they can eclose. I raise EBS and monarchs.
Thanks for sharing. You and I are on the same page raising the monarchs and black swallowtails. It has been crazy how many monarchs I have already seen this Spring. I brought the 3 monarch cats in and they are growing fast! Good luck this summer!
I overwinter black swallow tail chrysalis on my enclosed porch in Chicago. I have released 7 of them do far this year. Have 2 cats on my golden Alexander. I also work with monarch butterflies.
@@annediaz152the 2022-2023 winter I had my EBS chrysalids overwintering outside in a protected enclosure. The 2023 May got so hot early in the month, most enclosed and there were no flowers out yet🙁. So I bought a mini fridge and that's where I'm now overwintering so I can take them out at an appropriate time to maximize survival.
Oh boy just came across your video. I'm in N.Y and never get monarchs until August when there laying there last eggs. I raise them on the Swamp Milkweed because it grows faster than the common. I already cut it back but now I'll have to keep checking it. How are you doing with them Dave?
@constablebrew you can grow woollypod milkweed easily in your area. I grow it in Chicago and bring it inside for the cold months. The tropical milkweed can harbor disease.
@@yogiberra808but nature is off balance thanks to humans. You should see my pollinator garden at the height of summer. Wasps are way over populated and most caterpillars never turn into butterflies because solitary wasps take the cats for their larvae and parasitic wasps lay their eggs in the cats. I am going to protect as many as I can
Also wanted to add all cats in May I found I was able to see them fly away as butterflies. While watering plants i found the one. I also seen all their mothers laying eggs on my milkweed.
I would go looking for other Milkweed leaves, maybe in the woods and take the cats inside with the leaves for them to eat. Or, if you have butterfly friends maybe they can give you some milkweed leaves. Good luck.
I also got monarch cats in May and I have 1 full length cat on a milkweed plant now. The heat has been so bad and no rain in sight so I'm having to water my flower beds I have lots of new milkweed growing and my original plants from last year made it through winter because we had a very unusually mild winter with zero freezes not even a close to freezing temp all winter so my hibiscus I have planted in my circular shaped bed has gotten taller than me at 5ft 7in it never got Even close to my height before it's been planted there 4 years now. I have 2 different types of bottle brush trees planted. I have Penta growing in all my beds large butterflies love them and all my torenia seeded for this year but with the heat and no rain only 2 or so took root I should have a full bed of torenia, Penta, sweet William and zinnia right now but not so this time. Just too hot and dry.
Thanks for sharing. Weather has such a big impact on our plants and butterflies. I hope your area cools and gets some rain. The caterpillars I took in in May all came out of their chrysalis this week. I was excited to release 3 new monarchs into Minnesota. Good luck the rest of the summer!
I don't know of monarchs ever overwintering. It might mean the got an early start to their migration due to the warm weather? I don't know but it is early to already be seeing monarchs.
I’m from Stratford, Ontario, and I just planted my first butterfly garden in my backyard. Super excited to see some action this summer.
That is awesome! For me I started small and then became a bit obsessed. I keep adding year after year. Each year the garden becomes healthier and attracts more butterflies. Good luck with your garden!
Hi Dave! I'm also in Minnesota, and I raise Monarchs. I have found 34 eggs so far on the young milkweed plants in my yard. It's unreal how soon they are here! I hope I can find enough milkweed to feed all of them as they grow! I may have to search around town for some other sources. It's crazy!
Shelly, Thanks for sharing. I wonder if the warm winter in MN and the midwest had an impact on migration for the Monarch. The numbers of monarchs were way down in Mexico this year. Good luck with your monarch eggs!
I spotted what I thought was a monarch a few days ago. I'm in east central Iowa. I couldn't believe my eyes!
That is fabulous!
Missouri here. Last year, I spotted my first Monarch visitor on July 8. I have yet to spot a Monarch in my garden. In my location, there's a delay compared to last year. Hoping to see some soon.
Yes, I raised 4 caterpillars into Monarchs in May and have not seen any additional eggs or caterpillars. Finally this week I started to see a few monarchs hanging out in the garden. A very slow June and July?
OMG those cats are big
Agree, the are probably already in 2nd instar! That means the eggs were laid over a week ago.
I just found my first eggs today. It does feel very early. I am also in Minnesota.
Yes, it is so early. I did decide to raise my caterpillars inside. Hoping my milkweed grows enough this week to keep plenty of food available to the cats.
Dave I'm in Oakdale, MN and saw what I thought were viceroy butterflies two weeks ago - thought it was too early for monarchs. I'm wrong! Save them. Last late October I found 4 eastern black swallowtail cats on my golden Alexander plant. Brought them inside as it was getting too cold and they wouldn't make it. They ate the Alexander and their chrysalids are in a fridge and I'll be taking them out so they can eclose. I raise EBS and monarchs.
Thanks for sharing. You and I are on the same page raising the monarchs and black swallowtails. It has been crazy how many monarchs I have already seen this Spring. I brought the 3 monarch cats in and they are growing fast! Good luck this summer!
I overwinter black swallow tail chrysalis on my enclosed porch in Chicago. I have released 7 of them do far this year. Have 2 cats on my golden Alexander. I also work with monarch butterflies.
@@annediaz152the 2022-2023 winter I had my EBS chrysalids overwintering outside in a protected enclosure. The 2023 May got so hot early in the month, most enclosed and there were no flowers out yet🙁. So I bought a mini fridge and that's where I'm now overwintering so I can take them out at an appropriate time to maximize survival.
Oh boy just came across your video. I'm in N.Y and never get monarchs until August when there laying there last eggs. I raise them on the Swamp Milkweed because it grows faster than the common. I already cut it back but now I'll have to keep checking it. How are you doing with them Dave?
I found some big plump ones last week here in Los Angeles. Very surprising! All my milkweed is the evergreen (non-native) variety.
Thanks for sharing! I have brought mine inside and will feed the caterpillars. Hopefully more milkweed will grow bigger over next couple of weeks!
@constablebrew you can grow woollypod milkweed easily in your area. I grow it in Chicago and bring it inside for the cold months. The tropical milkweed can harbor disease.
I would definitely bring those 3 inside
Plant more plants/flowers, then let nature take its course.
@@yogiberra808but nature is off balance thanks to humans. You should see my pollinator garden at the height of summer. Wasps are way over populated and most caterpillars never turn into butterflies because solitary wasps take the cats for their larvae and parasitic wasps lay their eggs in the cats. I am going to protect as many as I can
I have found 6 eggs in my milkweed garden in Chicago. Luckily my common milkweed is already 2 feet tall.
That is fabulous! Have a great growing season!
Also wanted to add all cats in May I found I was able to see them fly away as butterflies. While watering plants i found the one. I also seen all their mothers laying eggs on my milkweed.
Keep up the great work!
Someone has monarch caterpillars here in Omaha NE!!!!! 😮
Yes!! I do! I’m in Omaha!! Papillion.
I would bring in.
Thanks! I have decided to bring them inside and feed them. Hopefully I can find enough milkweed leaves in this early part of the season!
I would go looking for other Milkweed leaves, maybe in the woods and take the cats inside with the leaves for them to eat. Or, if you have butterfly friends maybe they can give you some milkweed leaves. Good luck.
My milkweed is growing fast, so I have been able to get enough leaves to feed these three caterpillars. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I also got monarch cats in May and I have 1 full length cat on a milkweed plant now. The heat has been so bad and no rain in sight so I'm having to water my flower beds I have lots of new milkweed growing and my original plants from last year made it through winter because we had a very unusually mild winter with zero freezes not even a close to freezing temp all winter so my hibiscus I have planted in my circular shaped bed has gotten taller than me at 5ft 7in it never got Even close to my height before it's been planted there 4 years now. I have 2 different types of bottle brush trees planted. I have Penta growing in all my beds large butterflies love them and all my torenia seeded for this year but with the heat and no rain only 2 or so took root I should have a full bed of torenia, Penta, sweet William and zinnia right now but not so this time. Just too hot and dry.
Thanks for sharing. Weather has such a big impact on our plants and butterflies. I hope your area cools and gets some rain. The caterpillars I took in in May all came out of their chrysalis this week. I was excited to release 3 new monarchs into Minnesota. Good luck the rest of the summer!
I’m in Omaha and I have them!
Thanks for sharing! Have a great Spring!
Does that mean there are some that are overwintering in the adult stage this far north? Isn't that different from their normal behavior pattern?
I don't know of monarchs ever overwintering. It might mean the got an early start to their migration due to the warm weather? I don't know but it is early to already be seeing monarchs.
@@davethebutterflyguy9841 Another thought-perhaps they were blown in with the severe storms. Still this is VERY early to see this many.
Plant more plants/flowers, then let nature take its course.
Thanks for comments, I am planting more milkweed and pollinating flowers this week. Hopefully we will have a nice growing season!