Author Topic: Milkweed And Pollination question (Read 24489 times)

Jen · « **on:** August 24, 2014, 12:35:16 am »

I want to plant milkweed on the bank behind our house to see if I can get any monarch's to use them to hatch their young.

1. Do deer eat milkweed?

2. Does the milkweed have a bloom that would attract honeybees?

riverbee · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2014, 12:52:35 am »

YES jen, awesome plant for monarchs and honey bees!

Jen · « **Reply #2 on:** August 24, 2014, 01:01:02 am »

Cool! We have deer come thru our back alley all day long, would they eat milkweed?

Zweefer · « **Reply #3 on:** August 24, 2014, 02:03:08 am »

Most deer will leave milkweed alone, but be careful of rabbits - they love to chew on the stalks.

pistolpete · « **Reply #4 on:** August 24, 2014, 02:25:33 am »

Must be a different milkweed than we have up here. I've never seen a single bee on it.

Jen · « **Reply #5 on:** August 24, 2014, 12:58:54 pm »

No rabbits here, so that's good ~

Slowmodem · « **Reply #6 on:** August 24, 2014, 01:16:50 pm »

Quote from: Jen on August 24, 2014, 12:58:54 pm

No rabbits here, so that's good ~

The thing about rabbits is that they breed like rabbits.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #7 on:** August 24, 2014, 01:23:32 pm »

I have always understood that the "sap" from the milkweed was poisonous to most critters like deer and rabbits?

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #8 on:** August 24, 2014, 01:40:32 pm »

This program, located at the University of Kansas, is headed by Dr. Chip Taylor. He is an annual speaker at our beeclub funday. This a fabulous program and you might find some answers here Jen.
http://www.monarchwatch.org/

Dr. Taylor, with help from volunteers, planted a pollinator garden just about 1 mile from my house. The site is on top of an EPA super fund site where chemicals had leached out into the soil and ground water. Now it is a nice park with walk ways, benches and informational signs.

I think Taylor, who is head of the entomology dept. at KU, spends a large portion of his time in South American and Mexico doing research on Monarchs and Honey Bees.

Jen · « **Reply #9 on:** August 24, 2014, 01:46:57 pm »

It's so rare that I see a Monarch around here. This year I have seen way more Swallow Tails than usual every day. Really enjoying that. But if could bump up the Monarch's... Man! That would be soo cool!

barry42001 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 24, 2014, 03:29:06 pm »

Sap of milkweed is toxic to most animals, few things, for example monarch caterpillars, feed on them, is also why so few things prey on them. Have a large collection of stalks where milkweed was. They are recovering slowly. Cycled through about 100 monarchs.

Jen · « **Reply #11 on:** August 24, 2014, 03:42:07 pm »

Is milkweed an invasive weed, taking over the land? Sure is an exquisite weed with seed, silk, and pod ~

Slowmodem · « **Reply #12 on:** August 24, 2014, 04:23:33 pm »

Quote from: Jen on August 24, 2014, 03:42:07 pm

Is milkweed an invasive weed, taking over the land?

No, that would be kudzu.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu

http://clctreeservices.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/the-mile-a-minute-vine/

Jen · « **Reply #13 on:** August 24, 2014, 04:35:54 pm »

Holy Shmolly! I've seen documents on this nasty stuff.

barry42001 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 24, 2014, 04:48:17 pm »

Milkweed with monarch caterpillars
Second egg
Stalks
Lol:D

Jen · « **Reply #15 on:** August 24, 2014, 05:13:45 pm »

OMG! That would be thrilling to watch

barry42001 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 24, 2014, 05:18:02 pm »

Bottom pic, just hatched out of pupa case

Jen · « **Reply #17 on:** August 24, 2014, 05:20:41 pm »

Gorgeous! I'm gonna get me some of those next year.... hopefully

barry42001 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 24, 2014, 05:40:00 pm »

That seed case, broad cast seeds where you want them, water them every few days

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #19 on:** August 24, 2014, 06:48:45 pm »

If I remember correctly member Walt B, from Texas, volunteers with Monarch research. I believe he goes out and reports when he sees eggs, etc. You might PM him, Jen.