I just got some swan/ballon milkweed this weekend, along with some woodland sage. Im not sure if that is what you just planted, but we will have to compare, such different zones.

I have both. Swan and Balloon are two different milkweeds:

Gomphocarpus Physocarpus - balloon

Gomphocarpus Fruticosus - swan

Of course to add to the confusion, Giant swan milkweed is another name for Gomphocarpus Physocarpus.

I will have to figure that out. The butterfly lady called it swan, but when looking online, it said they were one and the same. Off to learn something new. Thanks for the info.

They are NOT one and the same

There aren't as many this year. Last summer I had an occasional few Monarch eggs laid on milkweed, but this summer, there's nothing. Not even the Queen butterflies came to lay eggs on milkweed. Guess it'll give some time for my small milkweed to grow, if I can keep them alive in this dry heat. La Nina is on the way, according to weather experts.

My daughter has so many eggs, I mean this was fun and all, but I dont know what she/we are going to feed all of them. I guess at this point, I should say cats, and eggs. She cant stay out of the woods looking on...well w/e. she spots. We had to bring home some weed that has frog in the name , yesterday. This weekend, we hope to get some wild lime, and a corkscrew passion vine or two. Id really like to get some things for the birds too, but thats another forum

Linda, we are having the same problem here, the butterflies are almost absent, but we do have some Pipevine Sawllowtails.

My common milkweed is having a HUGE infestation of aphids. It's done blooming or mostly. Should I try to control the aphids? I would like to go ahead and cut back all (or some) of the aphid covered parts rather than try spraying. It' s 20 feet long by 3-4 feet wide of plants. In other years I cut the MW back because after bloom the big stalks leaves all turned yellow and fell, and I would get lots of new tender shoots from the ground for late summer when I'd actually see the monarchs and find eggs.

I don't think cutting back some would hurt, however aphids on milkweed are to be expected.

I would go ahead and cut back.

If the Aphids are really bad and there is no sign of eggs or cats, I spray with insecticidal soap. If the infestation is small, I simply smash em. Some peeps recommend spraying with hose. I have never had joy from this method and it does not kill them - but simply knocks them off.

Ive got little brown bumps all over the back of my tropical milkweed leaves. The tops of the plants are going great guns, so Im leaving them, hoping its nothing that will hurt the cats. Ive got cats coming out my ears. Just sent daughter to pick up some more blooming nectar plants...plus hunt for more milkweed. They have cleaned off 4 plants each of the last two days, still many that have to grow. They have some 'impressive' little digestion tracts. Very efficient

@Sallyg et al. Here's what I am doing this year.

At least once a day I inspect my various MW plants and patches for any eggs, (I hope to hand raise as many as I find...none so far this year.) This gives me a chance to smoosh any orange aphids I find. New aphids don't turn my fingers orange, like the older ones and crush more easily without damaging leaf.

I've also started 'harvesting' some of the Common leaves while they are still green and tender and freezing them (an experiment), so would definitely do this with any stems I had to remove (storm damage or whatever)

I'd like to get some good seed pods from some of mine so am planning to encase select baby pods (SO cute!) in a fine mesh netting while they ripen to avoid the beetle that eats pods.

Would hate for you Sally to lose all those seed pods because of aphids, otherwise Id say do what worked for you last year! We know mama Monarchs are partial to those tender new shoots!

If you need smooshing help or company, let me know! I love your Milkweed patch.

I did cut some off today, so totally coated in aphids. I tried to look over them all. I think I found one egg- it is in the kitchen now, so we'll know in a few days, I'll take a better look tomorrow too.

Oh Sally, I hope you are right! And, of course, where there is one egg there are most likely many more! Can you post a picture of your patch?

From a walk today I see that the aphids are already covering the new seed pods, too. Bummer.

On same walk I am thrilled to report that we saw not one, not two, but EIGHTEEN adult Monarchs! Very heartening sight. Off to report same to Monarch Watch/ Journey North. I think this is the most anyone has reported so far.

Update....

Common done blooming.
Silky Gold Tropical and regular Tropical blooming
Swamp showing color
Butterfly Weed fully blooming
Balloon plant budding
One Woodsons is budding.

Have lost my specimens of Spider and Green (AFAIAC, they both suck anyway). Poke is looking real sad as something attacked the stem.

Purple got attacked by something and killed to the ground. So far it has resprouted 3 times and is back to ~ 1.5 inches.

Two Showy plants got attacked by Tussock Moth Cats are in a bad way.

Have only one specimen of Redring that is ~ 2 inches tall in my greenhouse. Once larger, will plant it out.

It is such a challenge is it not? But we must keep on trying.

sallyg said:My common milkweed is having a HUGE infestation of aphids. It's done blooming or mostly. Should I try to control the aphids? I would like to go ahead and cut back all (or some) of the aphid covered parts rather than try spraying. It' s 20 feet long by 3-4 feet wide of plants. In other years I cut the MW back because after bloom the big stalks leaves all turned yellow and fell, and I would get lots of new tender shoots from the ground for late summer when I'd actually see the monarchs and find eggs.

I was thinking the same - to cut them back but upon closer look, there are several caterpillars happily munching away.

Sally and Betsy here is a link to "10 Ways to Control Aphids on Milkweed"

http://monarchbutterflygarden....

David hope your Milkweeds continue to make a good recovery

thanks, Judy, good article