Good things come to those who wait. A Reddit user shared the exciting results of a long-term effort to create the ideal habitat for a key pollinator.
The pictures posted on the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit show a monarch butterfly caterpillar making itself at home on a patch of milkweed plants, the first such guest after two years.
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
“My second year having swamp milkweed, my first Monarch caterpillar appearance! Hopefully the plant is big enough to support it!” the original poster wrote.
The caterpillar’s distinctive coloring isn’t just for show; it’s part of the little critter’s defense mechanism. As the National Park Service notes, the monarch’s life cycle begins with the caterpillar eating its own egg and then feasting on the toxic leaves of milkweeds. The markings are a warning to would-be predators that eating them is a seriously bad idea.
In the final stage of its life cycle, the monarch butterfly plays a crucial role in the ecosystem as a pollinator. The nectar it feeds on pollinates an array of wildflowers.
The common milkweed has numerous local variations and supports hundreds of other insect species. It is critical to the monarch’s survival, but landscapers often remove it as a noxious weed. The milkweed featured in the Reddit post is the swamp milkweed, which the United States Department of Agriculture recommends for the Northeast.
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Of all the ways to upgrade your yard, rewilding it with native plants is one of the best for the local ecosystem and your wallet. Native plants require minimal effort to maintain and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and water.
The commenters shared the OP’s joy.
One said, “I’m so excited for you!”
Another spoke of the efficacy of the plants in attracting delightful visitors: “Swamp milkweed is like an automatic caterpillar generator.”
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One Redditor expressed hope that their efforts would yield similar results: “Ahhh! I finally have swamp milkweed popping up after having my husband and all my friends on the lookout for seed pods for me. I cannot wait for monarch caterpillars. Congrats!”
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