|
|
|
|
| Butterfly Festival |
|
April 14, 2007 9AM - 5PM
Plant Swap, Butterfly Swap, Vendors, Classes, and More! 352-485-2458
12876 Southwest County Rd 231
Brooker, Florida 32622
http://butterfliesetc.com/butterfly.festival.php |
|
Milkweed, Monarch, and More
A Field Guide to the Invertebrate Community in the Milkweed Patch |
By Ba Rea, Karen S. Oberhauser, and Michael A. Quinn
Purchase Here | |
|
|
Raising Butterflies for Education, Fun, and/or Profit January 28, 2007
For Butterfly Farmers, Teachers, Gardeners, Students, Enthusiasts, and More |
|
Welcome to the introductory issue of 'Raising Butterflies for Education, Fun, and/or Profit.
Our intent is to share what we have learned over the last seven years and to learn lessons from you that you have learned from your experiences raising butterflies and moths.
Each issue will focus on a butterfly and its diseases, challenges, rearing techniques, and host plants.
If you wold like to submit an article our ask a question, please do so.
We welcome your comments and suggestions!
Edith, Stephen, Ester, and Michelle |
|
|
Monarch
Danaus plexippus 
Monarch and Painted Lady butterflies are the two butterflies raised by more teachers, students, and farmers than any other species. In this issue we will look at Monarch butterflies.
As we go through the year, we will discuss different species, diseases, rearing challenges, predators, parasites, parasitoids, and more.
We will start with the basics, then move forward.
Monarch butterflies eat only milkweed. An artificial diet for Monarch butterflies is the goal of various farmers and research projects. Monarch caterpillars have voracious appetites and take vast amounts of milkweed to grow from http://butterfliesetc.com/eggs1.php hatchling to adult. |
 Monarch Disease
Ophryocystis elektroscirrha
A disease which is found in Monarch (and Queen) butterflies in the wild is Ophryocysits elektroscirrha, called Oe for obvious reasons!
Many teachers and other enthusiasts contact us with the question "What is wrong with my Monarchs?" As we discuss what they are experiencing, it becomes obvious that the most likely answer is 'Oe'.
We encourage anyone who is experiencing problems with Monarch or Queen butterflies to either check their butterflies themselves (with a microscope) to determine if the problem is Oe or to 'tape' a butterfly from their production and send us the tape. We will examine the tape for Oe spores free. http://butterfliesetc.com/oe1.php |
 Tropical Milkweed
Ascelpias curassavica
In our warm state of Florida, we are not able to grow common milkweed with its large leaves to feed our Monarch caterpillars. From the few choices of milkweed species from which we are able to choose, most of us have chosen tropical milkweed.
Tropical milkweed grows quickly after cutting to feed caterpillars. It tolerates a high nitrogen feed of fertilizer.
One word of warning! NEVER allow milkweed sap to get into your eyes. Even sap on your forehand, washed into your eyes by sweat, can send you to the Emergency Room for pain relief. Wear gloves and don't wipe your face. |
|
 Pre-order Your Tropical Milkweed As Soon As Possible!
If you do not grow your own milkweed and cannot find a local source, consider Shady Oak Butterfly Farm for your source of milkweed. We are a certified nursery with permits to ship to 48 states.
Although we often are able to fill orders for tropical milkweed within a week, it requires several weeks growth to grow milkweed into a well-rooted starter plant. Place your order early if you need plants at a specific time.
We supply milkweed in three sizes for shipping; starter/liner, four-inch pot, and six-inch pot. We also supply one-gallon and three-gallon pots at the nursery for pick-up. http://butterfliesetc.com/plantsize1.php
When your order arrives, you can be confident that it does not have chemicals or insecticides in/on your plants which may harm your caterpillars.
Order form: http://butterfliesetc.com/purchasehostplantsL.php |
|
|
| More for Monarch Butterflies |
|
|
|
|
Shady Oak Butterfly Farm
Shady Oak was founded as a nursery in 1990. In 1999, Shady Oak added a butterfly rearing facility to the nursery.
We are a family owned and operated farm. Ester Appling (our middle daughter), our office manager, brings her two boys in to work with her and takes care of your order scheduling and packing. Michelle Smith (our daughter-in-law) brings in her son and works on websites and assists with office work, packing, and shipping. We are thankful to run an operation where our family can bring our grandsons to work.
Edith and Stephen Smith are the owners of the farm/nursery. They have been married for 33 years with five children and five grandchildren.
Please let us know how we can better help you with your butterfly rearing projects. We are in this business because Edith's passion for plants and butterflies simply turned into a business.
Happy Butterflying! Edith and Stephen
|
|
