[nigelrc]

I’m interested in hearing about the experience of any Forum readers with raising monarchs on any species other than the ‘swanplant’ (Gomphocarpus). Asclepias curassavica has long been available in NZ as a short-lived perennial (or annual in colder areas) & while butterflies use it for nectar, I’ve not seen caterpillars on it. There may be other species of Asclepias…? If so I’d be interested to know of them.

[Barry]

I am pleased you cull the eggs.

[Caryl]

Barry,I cull eggs rather than live cats. When are monarch eggs laid in Christchurch. I had the first ones the last week in August. I am in Wellington. I have managed to find other monarch lovers willing to take approx 120 cats. Usually I can manage populations by culling eggs but I was in Sydney for weeks, December and January hence the situation of having to find new sources of food for them. Caryl

[Barry]

I have acquired three species of Asclepiads that read as being cold-climate tolerant..
I am just now transferring to permanent and pots from my seedling beds.

I have some (Gomphocarpus) plants to give away and perhaps some silkys.

I have been culling handfuls of caterpillars and trying to conserve my feed stock. I have limited ground .

I have had so many of monarchs here over the past 6 weeks . as many as 4 pairs at one time and present every day.
Christchurch – – 0223140100.

[Jacqui]

We ran a series of articles in earlier magazines about the different Asclepias plants available in NZ.

The main one (or two?) is A. curassavica – which comes in two forms, scarlet (which is red and yellow) and gold (yellow). But there is also A. incarnata, swamp milkweed, which is more common in the South Island and cooler climes – it resprouts from a rhizome each year and grows very well before you can get any swan plants to grow.

https://www.monarch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/june-2009-a4.pdf

https://www.monarch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Autumn13_03.pdf

https://www.monarch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Winter-2013-for-web.pdf

https://www.monarch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Issue06_2013_Winter_Butterfly-MagazineHL.pdf

https://www.monarch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/07_MBTNZ_Magazine_Summer_2013_HL.pdf

https://www.monarch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/MBNZT-Issue-08_Autumn-2014_online.pdf

[Author]

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