She made broken look beautiful,
and strong look invincible.
She walked with the Universe on her shoulders,
and made it look like a pair of wings.
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Mother’s Day Poem by Ariana
The end of March I had about 36 cats and we were going away for 2 days and was very low in milk weed. I usually buy at a home and garden store but they we’re out so in a panic I bought from a small local nursery. Only two monarchs survived…long story short, I suspect the last plants were diseased or insecticides were used on them. Fortunately I was blessed with more eggs and cats. Now I have a total of 56 chrysalis. I’m keeping my fingers crossed! My daughter-in-law lives in Wyoming and is wondering she can raise monarchs there?? Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I have learned so much from this site! Great job!!
Two years ago, 2017 I found caterpillars and raised them in fruit jars. I raised 61 in my novice year.
Last year, I learned how to find eggs and hatched them in my nursery, a cake pan. When I saw little holes in the leaves I put the caterpillars in individual jars. I proudly raised 225 in 2018!
Milkweed in Missouri is popping up and I have had my first to monarchs visit the garden. Thanks for the poem!
-Vanessa
My sweet mom died about a month ago. The hospital placed a picture of a monarch outside her room to signify that the patient in that room had just died and everyone outside should be respectful. They use the monarch to signify that what we think is a loss of life is just another stage into a new life. Every time I “hatch” new Monarchs I will have warm memories of my mom.
Sorry for you great loss! I too think of my mom with our beautiful Monarch raising. ❤️🐛🦋
That’s beautiful! Sorry for your loss, my mom has been gone for 37 years and I still miss her! Butterflies remind me of God’s miracles and warms my heart!
A beautiful male emerged today on my birthday! What a gift. As you mention in your post So.CA L is experiencing a monarch decline. I have seen only one very small female at work and she leaves me 2 to 3 eggs each day. If left to their own resources, tragedy strikes. I experimented by establishing an isolation unit cage with dire results. Our garden cats , (i’ve seen 5 or 6) are beautiful but don’t survive. Thank you for helping me understand why.
I live In eastern central Florida .
Really sweet poem! Just wanted to share that my milkweed plant got a nice amount of monarch eggs over the weekend here in Orange County, California! Excited to see some products back in stock to purchase them and raise the cats safely!
Here in Orlando my milkweed is 3 feet high all along the driveway. My biggest invader is the orange and black beetles. I have released 62 monarchs so far this year. The most productive month was April. Last years count was 81. I have made two presentation for groups on saving the monarch and given out milkweed seeds. Stories of success have been received.
Here in Southern Michigan, my milkweed plant from last year is just starting to pop up from the ground. Thanks for the poem!
the day before Mothers’ Day. I am in the suburbs of Minneapolis and hope we see some warmer temps soon….got down for a close look at my gardens where I had Milk weed last summer and……I saw a 2 inch tall milkweed plant poking up from the dead leafy mulch from 2018! Yes!!!! Keep the good weather coming this way!
The poem was lovely. Thank you for sharing.
The Monarchs in Florida are doing very well. So far we have released 39. We now have 20 more in crysali. We have planted a lot of milkweed from seed and it’s doing well. All of your information is a big help.
Just beautiful! I am enjoying watching my 3 caterpillars grow bigger and bigger each day, and eating the crown flower leaves. It ate up my small crown flower cutting I had growing; luckily found 2 plants at a garden store for them, phew. Can’t wait to see them grow up becoming Monarch butterflies and see them enjoying my flowers in the backyard.
Hi Tony, enjoy your website about our wonderful monarchs and share it often. Reading the comments has encouraged me for the new season here in Michigan. I’ve been releasing butterflies for over 20 years! My dear friend Doris taught me all about The monarchs. She passed a year ago at age 96, after 25 years of releasing monarchs. I gave milkweed to my little great grandson, who at age 3, released his first monarch butterfly!Thanks for all your info.
The milkweed in my little wildflower prairie is beginning to pop up, some are a few inches tall. Definitely would like some warmer temps and sunshine here in Central Indiana. Thank you for the Mother’s Day poem!
Thank you for all your good info here in texas weather is still a little cool in the evenings hopefully this summer will bring lots of butterflies.
Dear Tony,
Thank you for sharing the beautiful poem and photo.
And of course all the info re plants and butterflies.
👒 Patricia
Beautiful poem- thank you for sharing!
Here in San Diego I’m needing to make a milkweed run!!! I have 6 chrysalides and over 20 cats that are munching away! Our weather has been up and down with some very chilling temps at night but I’m hoping for some butterflies very soon!!!!
Thank you for all of the invaluable Monarch info and beautiful poem I too am add plants to our butterfly garden!
Hi Tony,
Planted my Milkweed Seeds in Pearlight and there popping up just fine.
We live in the St. Louis area, and are very fortunate to have lots of milkweed growing along highways (I stopped to check a couple of weeks ago and was elated that what we were seeing WAS milkweed, as I’d already spent about $75 on plants from a nursery). We successfully raised and hatched out just over three hundred beautiful monarchs (which have now all been released with prayers of God speed). Keeping them safe in screened cages on our screened porch definitely was the way to go. They got the benefits of natural temps and light, and without fear of predators. We still have four green chrysalises. Raising these wonderful creatures has been such a blessing!
Pam Selbert
That is fantastic! Thank you for sharing.
In San Diego County (Oceanside) we’ve had such ‘rollercoaster’ weather but my garden and milkweed love it. Released 11 Monarchs last week, another 9 chrysalis’ wait and 15 cats munch on milkweed. The cuttings are doing well along with last year’s milkweed which was cut way back. Monarchs and eggs trickle in but are enough to fill up cubes. Sometimes I have to wait an extra day or two to release under favorable conditions as this weather is so unpredictable. Monarchs are big, bright and beautiful!
What a happy Mothers Day for me -a beautiful Monarch has emerged from one of 6 chrysalis.
great news- Happy Mother’s Day Marilynn!
Thanks, for all the wonderful fun facts !! The poem is perfect !! We are waiting…for our Beautiful Butterflies to come out and play !! 🙂
In So CA I have 23 cats all doing well and yesterday was fortunate enough to watch one of them go into crsalysys. Timing is everything!
Thank you you for your postings.
Thank you, This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for the lovely poem and thanks so much for all of the info and inspiration you provide
Thank you Tony for all you send out! We have 9 Chrysallis and 16 caterpillars of which 6 are heading up to our homemade nursery. We are in New Bern, North Carolina and temps going up into the 80’s this week. Bought Dill and Fennel for the Swallowtails. Monarch cats are eating our milkweed like crazy but staying ahead with our host plants!
Happy Mother’s Day to all and our little Butterflies!
Hi, Tony,
Thanks for the tips and for sending that beautiful poem. It brought tears to my eyes. For protection, we brought milkweed with eggs onto our screened porch; now have the caterpillars in screened cages — and are elated to say we have around two hundred good-sized caterpillars. They grow so fast! And are real eating machines. The trick is to keep them fed, as they go through the leaves (and stems) in short order. A dozen or so are now forming their chrysalis. For Mother’s Day, my son gave me a beautiful flag for the garden that’s colorful and features monarchs. Raising the little guys is so exciting for us! Happy Mother’s Day to you!
Sincerely,
Pam Selbert
How fortunate you are! You give us hope. Where do you live?
I oh so can’t wait until my screened in porch get put up
Here in So. Ca. I released 10 beautiful, healthy butterflies just in time for Mother’s Day 😊❤. I collected them from my poor chewed up plants when they were just about to the wandering and J hang phase. I’m so happy they’re all healthy and happily flew into the sun. I hope I see them again soon ❤️🐛🐛❤
Thank you thoughtful, helpful, patient Tony. “My” Milkweed looks so happy but not as happy as I am that it’s growing! Will plant more with kids next week.
Nina from CT.
Hi Tony ,
Beautiful poem! My Milkweeds are coming along beautiful and planting more each day .
Sharing my new starting with my Garden Club and my Monarch friends .
I had about 6ft x 6 ft in my yard with new milkweed coming up in my yard ,shared with our friends at our Plant Sale .
Need to get all my flower pots together and get those new milkweeds planted .
Have a great Mothers Day weekend !
Futter by Acres
Reminds me need to put out my Waystation Sign .
Sharing this beautiful poem. THANK you!
The milk weed is starting to pop out and greet spring in Michigan. I’m looking forward to a great season.
Thanks for beautiful poem.
Thanks for all the updates. This is such a fun thing to do. My plants are growing well.
The poem is beautiful, thanks for sharing.
What an exquisitely beautiful poem by Ariana Dancu! Thank you for sharing, Tony. Blessings to you and your loved ones as you celebrate Mother’s Day with your mom.