# For bees and butterflies



## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

lady bugs eat aphids


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## BlueDiamond (Apr 8, 2011)

lady bugs eat monarch and queen eggs and young caterpillars.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Well, the aphid problem almost sorted its own self out. Soon after my starting this thread, lacewings laid many groups of eggs on these plants, the eggs hatched and aphids began to disappear, then hoverfly larvae arrived, then beetles that somewhat resembled lady bugs (though, not lady bug beetles). Now, there are very few aphids, though every few weeks there are dozens of Queen butterfly larvae feeding on most of the various milkweed host plants, including the (_Calotropis procera_) milkweed tree.

I was surprised they spontaneously chose this for one of their host plants. It can grow to the size of a small tree, though mine are still only three feet or less in height. Its leaves resemble those of a Magnolia tree, which is why I'm surprised the butterflies chose it to lay any eggs on.


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