[Heidi]

Not really a new topic I guess, but new for me  as I haven’t had  monarch caterpillars since I was at school. ( quite a few moons ago;-) ) BUT I now have 7 baby monarch caterpillars on a quite small (red flowered) swan plant, and I am hoping to track down some more plants to feed/ home them. I am in Mangawhai, Northland and I can be contacted at Email:kiwi.heidi@gmail.com or ph 094315075.
ps: two of them have moved onto the buttercup pumpkin, but I don’t how long that will sustain them. They are aprox 4days old.

[Jacqui]

BlueSkyBee – yes.

[BlueSkyBee]

Jacqui, I was unaware that caterpillars don’t transfer well from curassavica to the common swan plants. Is that because of a slight difference in the toxin in the leaves?

[Jacqui]

The plant you are referring to is Asclepias curassavica or Tropical Milkweed. Sadly, Heidi, the caterpillars are unlikely to do well on either pumpkin (at this age) or will probably not transfer to swan plant (Gomphocarpus physocarpus or G. fruticosus – sometimes called Asclepias physocarpa or A. fruticosa).

I hope someone who lives nearby will have some suggestions. You could try the local school. I will also contact a grower of A. curassavica to see where their nearest stockist is.

Watch this space!

[Author]

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