What’s the latest, Angela?
Hi there
If the eggs are going black then it sounds like they are fertile – I was thinking they probably wouldn’t be, but there you are – I’m wrong again. 🙂
Carol Stensness, our treasurer, will be coming down to Auckland on Sunday morning and could possibly pick them up. Hopefully she could bring a spring of swan plant with her for them to eat while she’s en route. She should see this message and respond – but you can email her on treasurer@monarch.org.nz.
We’ll let you know what transpires! Good on your for caring.
the teeny tinies don’t eat much at all till they get bigger. I suggest you get a couple of any plants you can till you can get someone to take them for you or you find some bigger plants. Jacqui is offering to take caterpillars and she is in Auckland. sorry I’m in Wellington or I could help, but there are people on the forum in Auckland who could help.
Hi Leslie,
I’m panicking as some of them look like they are just about to hatch! I can see black tips on the eggs.I have tried obtaining swan plants but as I live in Wellsford, no one will deliver this far 🙁 The nurseries have swan plants but they are only tiny & wont last 5 minutes with all those hungry caterpillars!
Hi Angela, I’m fairly new to butterflys so no specific experience here. So only guessing that if the butterfly had mated then the eggs would be fertile and they could hatch. they go dark just before they hatch. can you get a swanplant? they are not very expensive at nurseries. I would watch the eggs and if they went dark i’d place them on fresh young swan plant leaves. Maybe someone else has a better idea what to do? I’d be interested to know what to do with eggs too as I sometimes get an egg laid on netting or some other surface.
Report a pest
.
