Giant Milkweed

On the 10th  I posted a picture of my Giant Milkweed…….or what was left of them.  They had been outside for a day or two.

This is the one in the pot on the L.  I was thrilled to see how much it had grown. Hot sunshine and afternoon thunder showers can do wonders.

I didn’t expect it to come back so quickly…….and hadn’t planned on using it for caterpillars for a few more weeks. Unfortunately, when I checked it closely today….it is already hosting several new hatchlings.

I decided to bring it inside so they wouldn’t lay any more eggs on it and to keep the wasps and spiders from getting them.

The leaf is less than 1 and 1/2 inch wide.…you can see how small the little guy is. It must have hatched yesterday, because there are smaller ones on the other leaves. The white spot at the top is where it has been feeding. That is “milk” that has seeped out of the leaf where it was munching. The egg was most likely attached there. When it hatches the egg shell is the first thing it eats…then it starts on the plant.

On the leaf below the one I am measuring, you can see a small white dot. That is an egg. Look to the R, on the next leaf and you can see another tiny caterpillar. It looks like todays hatchling.

I may leave them on this plant for a few days and then let them travel to a few of the Tropical Milkweed.  I have more of them.

About 8 or 9 days from now it will be ready to pupate.