I have been planting milkweed around my home for 2 years now along with raising monarch caterpillars inside my home. I release them into the world after 24 hours of coming out of their chrysalis.
This year is the first year I have found monarch eggs on the milkweed plants outside my home. I am so happy all my hard work is paying off finally. I have planted so many flowers and milkweed around my home. It keeps the monarch coming back for more nourishment and they also lay their eggs on the milkweed.
Twice a day I venture outside to check the milkweed plants for eggs or for hatched caterpillars. Once I find the eggs or small caterpillars, I take them inside and put them in an old ice cube tray lined with a wet paper towel. The paper towel helps to contain the moisture of the leaf until the egg hatches. It generally takes 4 days for them to hatch.
The reason I have been taking them inside is because there are so many aphids and ants on the milkweed plants that can harm the eggs and small caterpillars. They have a better chance of survival indoors. I don’t take all of the eggs I find inside. I take about 10 a day and then let nature take it’s course outside after that.
I did some research on natural ways to get rid of the aphids.
So, what is a natural way to get rid of those pesky aphids on your milkweed plants.
Why lady bugs of course! I just ordered 1,500 lady bugs from amazon to help control the aphids. They will be arriving by Wednesday.
