Monarch

Paul Cherubini cherubini at mindspring.com
Sat Mar 11 15:51:01 EST 2000


Mike Smith wrote:

> The only plants I can suggest for the Monarch caterpillars are other members of
> the Asclepidaceae family, various species of Milkweeds, either plants or vines.

In New Zealand the only milkweed around is the swan plant (Asclepias fruticosa)
- a non native species which was introduced there by accident (as was the monarch 
butterfly) in the late 1800's. So the person in New Zealand who ran out of swan 
plant to feed monarch caterpillars will have to scout around the countryside to try 
and find more of it. The swan plant is a weed of disturbed ground so is common 
along road sides and in cattle pastures.

Paul Cherubini, Placerville, Calif.


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