General Information
Here are some pictures of Monarch caterpillars eating the native Antelope Horn milkweed. I avoid the plants with the lawn mower. Spring mowing doesn’t happen till the blue bonnets have seeded and the Monarch butterflies have finished eating the milkweed.
Pros
Native Texan plant that is a food for the migrating Monarch butterfly. Favorite of honey bees, bumblebees and other pollinators. Needs no care.
Cons (if any)
Slow growth, does not propagate easily. Seed pods are vulnerable to beetles. Not as attractive as other butterfly plants. Is considered a weed by many and mowed down before the Monarch butterflies start their migration.
Other Information
I moved about 50 caterpillars last night from one overeaten plant to about 10 others that had no caterpillars on them. They’re eating away on the new plants. Some wandered off; hopefully to cocoon up for their metamorphosis stage.
