Monarch butterfly caterpillars
This seems very unlikely but if anyone has any spare room on a swan plant or two, there are a dozen or more monarch caterpillars about to starve on the corner of Bella Grove and Rimu St in Naenae. A single, small, swan plant on the public side of someone's fence on that corner has had the butterfly eggs laid on it.
Now the stripey wee things are all over it, it has zero leaves left, and only maybe two of the caterpillars are big enough that they will be able to go and metamorphose into butterflies if they are lucky.
It's a dire situation that probably doesn't have a happy ending. Maybe it is survival of the fittest but it's sad.
I'm not on Neighbourly heaps and won't check my messages or the replies, but I'm just putting this out here in case anyone can rescue the caterpillars by taking them to the only food they will eat: swan plant.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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84.8% Yes
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13.8% No
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Railing planters
To gain extra growing space, make and hang these easy-to-build planters on almost any wooden fence or deck railing. Use Resene FX Blackboard Paint so you can easily identify what plants are in each. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.
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