this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2025
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Hi everyone, hope you're all well.
Have been enjoying the lack of heat in the North Island this summer. For those of us who can't thermoregulate properly, it's very relaxing!
In backyard news, the swan plants are huge but not seeing much action, and the lemon tree has somehow survived having 2/3 of its limbs cut off.
Great to hear you're well! When do the caterpillars come for the swan plants?
Thanks! Been a bit of a weird year but starting to feel improvements, fingers crossed. Was glad to come here and see you guys!
I should be starting to see caterpillars by now. January is the peak laying month and eggs hatch in 1 or 2 weeks. I'm not sure why there are fewer butterflies; something might have affected the overwintering ones. Will have to have a better look though.
On the plus side last spring there were cinerarias here and some lovely magpie moths.
Do you normally cover some of the swan plants to limit the caterpillars so there's enough food to go around? Maybe that isn't necessary if there are less butterflies?
I think people do that if their plants are small? Usually where I live there are a couple of big plants on the go (over 2 m high) from year to year, so if I see any caterpillars trying to eat seedlings I ferry them over to those.
I'm not actually the owner of the garden, and the plants are self-sown, so it's all a bit random. If I ever win lotto the butterflies, birds, and bees can have a whole garden of stuff though.
Haha OK I guess it would be a bit tricky to keep the butterflies off a 2m high plant. Seems like your caterpillars are living in a post-scarcity society 🙂
Its sort of post apocalyptic, there aren't nearly as many plants as I would like but the ones we do have are huge and there's hardly anyone on them yet!
Well lucky for the ones that do get a go at the feast! You'll probably have some very fat caterpillars
Here's hoping! The other possible problem is OE, a protozoan parasite. According to wikipedia I should try again to establish tropical milkweed, which would be awesome because it's so pretty.
Last time all my seedlings got eaten by snails when I planted them out (unfortunately I don't have the capacity to actually garden) so will have to think of a new method if I get time/energy.
Ah interesting! Can you get bigger plants that will be less affected by the snails?
That is the million dollar question. As far as I know you can only get them as packets of seeds (from the Butterfly trust people, not garden centres).
To grow them bigger than last time, I'll need to find something a bit bigger to keep them in, somewhere to put it, and have enough well days to not neglect them.
I guess another idea would be to get heaps of seeds and try to just scatter them all through the undergrowth and hope for the best, but not sure it would work with milkweed.
Ah that sounds like a big job! Scattering them might work, but if you already have snails eating them then even if they do germinate there's no guarantee they will live. Challenging!
Grow them inside and invite the butterflies in? 😅
Indoor space is on my lotto list too! I like your ideas! 😄
Just went out and killed a bunch of aphids. I normally don't kill insects but those guys are like humans and will actually kill the whole plant if left to their own devices.