With so many predators, where we live the only way to have any survive is bring the eggs inside. This rearing process is a commitment, especially with about 90 of them at various stages. If you are the sort to lose interest or get distracted with other things in life, better not to start.
They need food fresh. They are voracious eaters which means they defecate like there's no tomorrow. That means cleaning up regularly or some sort of catchment system. That too will need emptying from time to time.
If that's all good, then if you need to help them survive, then go for it. It is so rewarding to see the monarch butterfly take off into the wide world. They will come back again and again to your garden in the future. We know as others say they never see any despite having milkweed whereas we see see them so often around breeding time.
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The two in the middle are having a good chew on the stalk.
They also eat the flowers but mainly the leaves |
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Another shot of the diners.
Guess what the two lumps behind the top one are?
(the end with the shorter feelers) |
