My chickens have the run of the compound by the workshop and barn most of the day. So it was a surprise to find munching monarch caterpillars on the young common milkweed plants.
The chickens are voracious, attacking almost anything that dares to move through the yard. Even though these caterpillars taste bad, chickens don’t tell each other about it so each must sample one.
Monach Migration
There was a time when I was in sixth grade and saw a real monarch migration. The classes were out for recess. Clouds of these big, beautiful butterflies surrounded us. It was amazing.
I’ve noticed a few Monarch butterflies flying by this year. They have a flutter flight quite different from the more common frittilaries.
These visitors drop by the thistle flowers for a snack. They check out the common milkweed stalks, most of which are brown and shriveled now.
Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca
These were planted twenty years ago and been a tolerated nuisance ever since. Unlike purple milkweed or butterfly weed, these plants send out gemniferous roots to form clumps. These clumps move from year to year migrating across the yard.
The milkweeds grow tall along with the giant ragweed and other plants growing among them in unmowed territory. They put out big umbels of light pink flowers attracting wasps, bees, bumblebees, butterflies and beetles.
Once the seed pods open releasing their seeds, the plants die. Except the roots busily put up new shoots that don’t get very tall. Their main purpose seems to be to keep me from mowing down the ragweed.
Another Purpose
The munching monarch caterpillars give these shoots another reason for growing. Unlike the few remaining plants, these shoots have luscious green leaves perfect for dinner, if you are a caterpillar.
All the shoots with munching monarch caterpillars are now surrounded by wire rings. If chickens could read, I’d add signs: Chickens Stay Out.
