Month of Monarchs
Every August the monarch butterflies arrive on Celadon Hill. Monarchs feed on milkweed, Latin name Asclepias. This makes them toxic and bitter tasting to predators. I plant a variety that makes a large seed known as “hairy balls”. All milkweeds attract monarchs. Monarchs, like other butterflies and moths, undergo complete metamorphosis. They have an egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult stage. The egg and caterpillar stages occur only on milkweed. Adults survive by sourcing nectar from a variety of flowers. Celadon Hill provides a wealth of food source for all pollinators. The flowers tend to get brighter as the weather gets cooler. The monarchs are ready to begin transformation when hanging upside down in a “j” shape. At this time, they have shed their skin 4 times and grown from an 2 millimeters to 25 millimeters. The glowing green, gold flecked chrysalis is attached by a silk stem produced…