Advice request: I've found 4 monarch caterpillars this week (my first.). They've been munching on my common milkweed. They're fat and look like they're ready to pupate right now. Given where we live and the time of year, this batch needs the strength to migrate to Mexico. BUT…I just now realized I don't have much of anything in bloom for them to eat when they emerge. I have one bunch of black-eyed susan blooming on the other side of the yard, and a handful of weak and spindly asters that look like they're about done.
When I was planting my native patches, I really forgot to add some late fall bloomers of any merit. I figure, I have maybe a week to find something that might be in bloom. Any advice what? and will it be enough? My neighbors are no help – they all have plain green carpet lawns. The last of the fall plant sales in my area was today and I see I missed it. Other ideas, are even non-natives in pots from the big box stores worth a shot, like mums?
by ATurtleNamedMack
9 Comments
I highly doubt mums have much in the way of nectar, I’ve personally never seen a pollinator on one. But I bet there are naturally occurring nectar sources nearby along power lines, ditches, parks, and undeveloped land that the butterflies will be able to locate on their own just fine.
You can research and order some nice fall bloomers for next year. I have NE asters just starting to bloom and goldenrod. Agastache still going strong as well as broccoli flower and radish form the veg beds. I had a hummingbird at the Monarda fistulosa as well this morning.
Get some goldenrod for next year
I have noticed that monarchs don’t tend to hang around the area that they emerged from. I just had one come out today, and once its wings were fully dried out, it flew off. Even though I have tons of nectar sources.
They’re swarming my blue mist flower currently
Any goldenrod around? Goldenrod is a great plant for butterflies and is often overlooked and grows almost everywhere.
https://preview.redd.it/7birz4ac28pf1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1aba2f04503d09c46fac5f6505bd921638f178c3
Depending on where you are I’m sure there will be some goldenrod around for them, it seems like it’s all over. Planting some would be good for fall blooms. Also asters, I’ve got sky blue aster and New England aster about to bloom.
They fly to Mexico and back every year, they’ll find food. In the meantime you can get started on monarch habitat plants. They feed on a lot of later blooming Asteraceae plants like goldenrods asters and joe-pye. All fairly common plants given the fact that they tend to be weedy and aggressive, so even if you don’t have any in your yard they won’t have to fly far to find some.
If you have trouble finding natives — I have stonecrop sedum that stays BUSY. I took pics of four different types of bees and a wasp eating from the flowers. I usually also see smaller butterflies on it but I haven’t seen many monarchs in my yard in general.
If you can find somewhere selling hyssop anise it’s a pretty common native and mine is still busy and blooming and usually has bumble bees on it.