Hungry Monarch Caterpillars Feed on Raleigh City Farm Milkweed

Local volunteers Terri Aron and Robin Faltz are raising monarch butterflies from the egg stage to adult this summer in an effort to increase numbers of these beautiful creatures.  Terri has been raising monarchs for over six years and mentored Robin this spring and summer, sharing all the many details needed to be successful. 

Where did Raleigh City Farm come into the picture? Milkweed, milkweed, milkweed!

Monarchs lay their eggs solely on milkweed, the eggs hatch into caterpillars (larvae), the caterpillars voraciously eat milkweed for 9-14 days… only milkweed... before they move into the chrysalis (pupa) stage. 

Feeding caterpillars is a full time job when you have 50 of them at a time, and Terri is known to have tents with more than 100 at the end of the summer. 

Raleigh City Farm collaborated with Terri and Robin to cut many, many healthy stems of common milkweed and Asclepias syriaca (butterfly weed) growing on the property.  Many trips to Raleigh City Farm helped produce over 150 healthy monarchs in less than one month, and more are emerging every day! 

The monarchs are released within 24 hours of emerging, so be on the lookout for them, and be sure to plant native milkweed to help raise their numbers!