I had unbelievable success in attracting Monarch Moms after planting milkweeds. In no time at all though the little bastards had stripped every leaf off the four plants. So I went to the nursery and bought four more.

Then the coolest thing happened: for the first time in my life I saw a Monarch
Mom laying her eggs. She would land on the plant, bend her butt upward under a leaf and touch her ovipositor to the underside of the leaf. In no time I had a ton more little “cats”!

Damn! Another bunch of mouths to feed. Back to the nursery; six more plants! I’m up to ten plants and $150 and no more room in the yard! And they stripped those down to bare twigs as well.

What to do? I had read they might eat butternut squash. It worked. It also attracted flies and ants, but wouldn’t you do anything for your cats? Organically grown squash, of course!

One downside: the little buggers crawl off across the ground to find a very private place to hang their chrysalis, so unlike the caged sort I’m not seeing that very cool last stage. I could get a “cage” to raise them in, I guess, but I kind of like that they are free. And I’m sure some don’t make it, but you know, nature red in tooth and claw!