So Much Cleaning!
Last night the heat finally broke and the humidity dropped which was such a relief. Yesterday the milkweed looked awful. If it wasn't shrivelled and yellowing it was wilted beyond anything I've seen. I just didn't touch it and held hope that the heat would pass. And lucky for me it did! So as soon as possible I went out to bring in cuts of the largest plants I could find. And I am not concerned about the fact that I brought in two new ones because I can easily feed them all. As I was trying to fit in my new plants, that are REALLY big, I decided to actually get rid of some plants, which meant a caterpillar transfer. I don't like forcing them on certain plants because they should choose their food, but today it was necessary. So I decided that I would keep one little vase of the least wilted plants in there with the new ones because it had four caterpillars on the stems and an almost ready to hatch egg. The other two vases had to go.
I do a transfer in a relatively stress-free way for the caterpillars in that I snip the leaves off that they are on and set them on the new plant somewhere safe. I know for sure that I was supposed to have fourteen total including the egg and I was able to track them all down and move them safely. All fourteen are safe and accounted for! It's crazy windy outside so I had to do this in the house, so I apologize for the not-so-great lighting in these pictures.
My two new additions :)
I was shocked this morning by how big my first one has gotten.
The gray gunk behind this guy/gal is freshly shed skin. Hasn't been eaten yet.
I think that's all for today! It'll be pretty uneventful until my largest decides to go into a hanging J. Write to you soon!
If you like my photography be sure to check out my Instagram, @sam.jutz
HEY!!!
Right after this post went up, number fourteen hatched!
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