Hello Friends!
I was a frazzled Mother Hen this week! 😂
Our butterfly weed became home to 10 beautiful Monarch caterpillars! I looked for them daily because we had many Monarchs visiting during the summer. Then, this past week, I spotted a caterpillar, and then several more! 10! I was determined to keep them safe.
At first, I made sure wasps and hornets weren’t around because they would eat my beloved caterpillars. Then, as I sat in the dining room looking out at the garden, lo and behold, three goldfinches came dive-bombing in for a caterpillar snack. So I ran out to shoo the birds away. I love goldfinches, and here I was yelling at them!
Then, just when I thought I had things under control, two praying mantises showed up! I never see those. And guess what? They eat Monarch caterpillars too! I had to relocate them to the other part of the yard. All of this is happening while it is sprinkling rain. Good Grief, I was at my wits’ end!
Mother Hen went into full panic mode. 😂
I went in search of something to cover them to protect them from the Wild, Wild Nature World! Sweet Man saved the day! He had some screening, so I carefully netted them all in the Butterfly Weed using Spring clothespins (they were actually my Mom’s clothespins. Can you believe it? They are 60-year-old clothespins I had on display in our laundry room!).
I finally could rest a bit.
A wonderful friend came to the rescue and took my precious little babies home to her butterfly house.
Thank goodness! I was now able to relax.
I never knew raising butterflies could be this stressful. 😂
Apparently, I’m not just a gardener. I’m a full-time Monarch Mother Hen!
Thank You!
Thanks for reading all about my frantic garden drama! Even though I was a nervous wreck. I loved every minute of it. Now all we can do is hope the caterpillars keep doing well so that they can join the other Monarchs in their Migration.
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A MG friend does the same thing only she has some type of set up where she brings them inside to keep safe. I am always amazed at her successful efforts. Applause to you for all your hard work on their behalf, and I hope your Monarch friend is able to keep them safe.
She is doing a marvelous job. She brought them inside as well. I ran out of butterfly weed so she found some milkweed for them. They are eating us out of house and home!
Thanks for all the love! Happy New Week!