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wifey2mikey

What's this on my butterfly weed?

wifey2mikey
12 years ago

I discovered these this morning. So strange... what is it?

{{gwi:481541}}

~Laura

Comments (11)

  • MissSherry
    12 years ago

    Laura, they're lacewing eggs. The Mama probably laid them there, because lacewings are big aphid eaters, and Ascelpias gets LOTS of aphids.
    Sherry

    Here is a link that might be useful: Lacewings

  • wifey2mikey
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Well good. I have been battling aphids! Glad to have some help.

  • sweet_melissa
    12 years ago

    I learn the coolest stuff on this forum! Thank you both for posting!

    Melissa

  • bananasinohio
    12 years ago

    Just to warn you, lacewing larva are voracious and will eat caterpillar eggs and 1st instar cats. I have never seen so many lacewing eggs in one place! Usually, I see one or a couple. She must have really liked your plant!
    -Elisabeth

  • Tony G
    12 years ago

    Laura, thanks for posting and Sherry thanks for your infinite wisdom! I have the same thing and I've never come across those before.

    They are on a Small tropical milkweed and I'd already plucked the monarch egg on the same plant just in case.

    We don't have an aphid infestation but there are a few more than normal so I'll let the lacewings do their thing :)

    Tony


  • wifey2mikey
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    All of my plants are totally cleared of aphids now... literally it happened that quick. There were several batches of lacewing eggs laid on several different leaves of each plant. I'm amazed at how quickly the aphids disappeared.

    ~Laura

  • butterflymomok
    12 years ago

    llaura, keep a look out for eggs. I had a female hanging around my yard yesterday. Don't know if a male had found her yet. But, the male was hanging out a couple of days ago. Their timing was just a little off!

    Sandy

  • jilliebean9700
    12 years ago

    cool. everyone has such a weath of knowledge on here i love this forum!

  • wifey2mikey
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Awesome! I will keep my eyes peeled. I had a variegated fritillary today - got a cruddy picture but at least I got to see it with my own two eyes! The Swallowtails are out in full force now... I have 20 or so caterpillars and decided that's my limit for now. There are more eggs though, and in fact as I type this, I'm watching a female out my kitchen window laying more eggs on the dill. So beautiful.

    ~Laura

  • butterflymomok
    12 years ago

    Yes, the BSTs are out in force. I had visitors to the garden this morning, and we watched a Black Swallowtail and a Variegated Fritillary laying eggs. The kids loved it. I sent them home with some of the eggs, as they have host plants that haven't received any action yet.

    Sandy

  • Tony G
    12 years ago

    hopefully some BST's make it up here. Saw my first two mourning cloaks yesterday...3 months later than last year! Also, red admirals swarmed our garden last June. Have yet to see one this year.

    And our neighbors tree that was filled with swallowtails last spring is getting past peak in blooms and there has been little action in 2011.

    Still holding out for July and August...

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