Yesterday, I wrote about how vegetable gardens are more than just vegetable gardens — they are habitats. Today, I walked out the front door to find a monarch laying eggs on one of my butterflyweed plants. Never — not once in all my years of gardening in Virginia — have I seen a monarch in my garden before this summer. Now, I’m not only seeing them; I’m apparently raising them! Do we really need any more proof that gardens are really habitats?
I wanted to capture a photo of the monarch laying an egg, but she was too fast for me. I had to settle for these:
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- I watched this monarch lay a half dozen eggs, but wasn't able to get a photo until she slowed down for a sip of nectar.
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- Sunlight through a monarch wing.
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- This monarch caterpillar must be brand new. Need a size comparison? Those are aphids along the left side of the photo.
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- There are several varieties of butterflyweed. This year, I'm growing Asclepias curassavica, which is actually native to Mexico. Next year, I plan to grow Asclepias tuberosa, which looks much the same but is native to Virginia.
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Awesome photos, great post and up the Monarchs!
Thanks, Sheila! I’m delighted to have monarchs in the garden — a first for me. Butterflyweed will definitely be a permanent feature in the garden now.
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