# Should I kill this worm - TEST ???



## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

An insect has been eating my new plants in my garden, and I finally found the culprit.

Would you kill it ???? ..... answer before you see the what it is



Do you even know what it is ????
..... answer before you see the what it is

>
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>
>
>
>>

>
>
>>
>
>
>>


It's a Danaus plexippus ..... who can goggel what we really know it by ???


----------



## Aggie Chris (Jun 5, 2005)

Providing you are correct in your identification, your new plants must be milkweed. 

Monarch Butterfly


----------



## shorty70 (Jun 29, 2008)

I'd throw it over the fence...


----------



## slpfishingmom (May 12, 2009)

Looks like your new plant is a milk weed. Be ready for it to stay full of aphids, assign bugs, and if your are lucky, the worm in the picture. They will eat and eat the milkweed, you can get an insect cage at Pets Mart and learn to raise them and let them go. It is very cool to see them go from worm to butterfly. PM me if you want to know more about raising them. 

Do not spray the plant, or try to get rid of the bugs on, it will harm the worms. Once you see how the transform you will be hooked.


----------



## swifty (May 13, 2005)

Mexican Milkweed and Monarch!!


----------



## flatscat1 (Jun 2, 2005)

That is a monarch caterpillar. Leave him alone. Given the size he will be gone in no time to re-emerge as a nice butterfly. They go mental for milk weed....


----------



## Red3Fish (Jun 4, 2004)

*Hmmmmm......*

If you like the milkweed more, kill him, if you like butterflys more, leave him!!

Your call!! LOL

Later
R3F


----------



## Mantaray (Aug 29, 2004)

I would love to cage it, feed it & give it to my kids. Let them experience the transformation into a butterfly. Is milkweed the only way to get a caterpilla? I haven't seen on around my garden other than those ugly lawn grubs.


----------



## Wolf6151 (Jun 13, 2005)

If you but Milkweed you'll have Monarchs laying eggs. There's a problem though, the more milkweed you buy the more monarchs lay eggs and they'll strip a plant almost overnight. You can't buy enough milkweed without it becoming a perpetual problem. Lots of crysalis everywhere.


----------



## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

UPDATE - my little buddy had another friend show up yesterday afternoon.

This monring I go out to check on them, and they were WEAVING their cocoon!!!

It's 2cool !!!! .... the kids and I are stoked

It sould be noted, this was the 1st year we did a butterfly- hummer garden.


----------



## swifty (May 13, 2005)

Muddskipper said:


> UPDATE - my little buddy had another friend show up yesterday afternoon.
> 
> This monring I go out to check on them, and they were WEAVING their cocoon!!!
> 
> ...


TAKE PICTURES!!! My daughter and I walked the place last year and got to watch lady bugs hatching...one was on our shrimp plant. Truly great experience for the little ones...and us too!


----------



## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

swifty said:


> TAKE PICTURES!!! My daughter and I walked the place last year and got to watch lady bugs hatching...one was on our shrimp plant. Truly great experience for the little ones...and us too!


So I went back out to where they were, and they were gone!

I have since seen numerous others on the butterfly weed, but once those leaves were eaten the cat-ies took off or were eaten by birds. I have seen alot of birds in the garden.

SO no cocoons to report, and we are doing our best to keep things watered.


----------

