Ironweed is host plant for Mourning Cloak and American Lady butterflies.

I looked up pictures of those eggs and if they were either, they were mourning cloak. I have seen mourning cloaks in the yard recently too. However, when I came back to inspect them closer they had been devoured.

My ironweed is fairly small this year anyway...next year It'll be better equipped to feed a batch of hungry cats.

A year later, these eggs have reappeared. This time on my SWAMP MILKWEED. I think I've figured out what kind of eggs they are. STINK BUG EGGS! (which means the nymphs would be feeding on monarch caterpillars if they were left to hatch.)

One question though, purpleinopp said that mourning cloaks use ironweed as a host plant. I've not seen this info posted anywhere...does anyone know if this is correct? Thanks, Tony

News to me that mourning cloaks would eat it. Supposedly IO cats will eat it. Caught an IO tonight but it was a male. :(

thanks KC...do the IO moths lay eggs on ironweed? Mine is going to be a lot larger this year so it definitely would be able to sustain something! I hope it blooms earlier this year, so more butterflies can enjoy the nectar...

Strange to think....last year I got my first monarch EGGS last year. so far this year, I've already released 7 adult butterflies. a good year indeed!

Tony,
My ironweed/IO info is all secondhand. That is why I wrote that IOs "supposedly" eat ironweed. The only hostplant for IOs I can personally confirm is Japanese maple. IOs are a new arrow in my quiver so I have yet to do any experiments with hostplants. Considering I cannot let kids hold the cats, I don't know that I'll continue to raise them. Their highlight, when they are in the mood, is to form a circle and march in a circle. That was a huge crowd pleaser last year. Then, when I wasn't looking, the circle disappeared. I got in a huge panic. Where did they go??!! Eventually figured out the circle had moved to being on the rim of the container (cats were 1st or 2nd instar so still very small). This occurred at a "Monarch Day" display I do at a local metropark.

KC

IOs will also eat Redbud leaves (from personal experience). I've never seen them march in a circle, but I've watched them march up a tree end to end. They are fascinating, but their sting is painful (also from personal experience).

Sandy

the circle sounds entertaining, the stinging...not so much ;)

I'm hoping that this early, warm spring and some new host plants to the garden arsenal will give me the opportunity to try raising some new caterpillars.

Thank you KC and Sandy for the info! Tony

Not all "stink bugs" eat caterpillars. There are the carnivores and the herbivores. But you may not want either. The herbivores usually like the veggie plants. Grrrr - get off my tomatos! The brown stink bugs, also commonly called Spined Soldier Bugs are what eat my caterpillars.

I don't like either.

Susan