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Checked last night when I got home from work and I have loads of caterpillars including some so small they are almost invisible. Guess I will be making a trip to the nursery this week for some more milkweed.
They're baaaaaacccck! Have about 15 caterpillars, mostly large and a few smaller ones.
Yay! I had prolific females leaving eggs on every tiny leaf, so I did collect some (18). Glad I did because something (anole? toad?) must have dined on the ones I couldn't collect. Inside I have 9 instar3 and 9 instar1/2. Outside I've only found maybe 2 instar1.
I've been seeing A LOT of monarchs flying around lately here in Kansas City. They're flying everywhere - over freeways and busy roads, through shopping centers, through my backyard ... you name it. Yesterday I was watching one flying through traffic while I was waiting at a light at a freeway off-ramp when it occurred to me that they're all flying generally southward. This being late September, I realized they must be migrating. I then saw more today and started wondering where some of the ones I'm seeing might have originated from? Minnesota? Even Canada? It made me feel for the guys trying to fly over the freeways: It seems that most of them make it, but I know I've hit at least one of them trying to cross the freeway last weekend. Such fragile little creatures making such a long and perilous journey!
I'm envious! I've never seen butterflies in migration!
Keep in mind, this migration isn't like looking up and seeing huge clouds of butterflies, or anything like that. It's more like, you're driving around, and seeing a butterfly (or maybe a group of 2-4) every couple minutes or so. They just all happen to be flying in the same direction (south).
I'm actually still seeing an occasional monarch here and there. Saw one in a supermarket parking lot today.
I'm hearing about folks still seeing them more north than the butterflies should be, such as in PA and VA. Guessing some Monarchs want to take a leisurely journey to Mexico this year, the kind of slow trip to smell the roses (pun intended).
I'm hearing about folks still seeing them more north than the butterflies should be, such as in PA and VA. Guessing some Monarchs want to take a leisurely journey to Mexico this year, the kind of slow trip to smell the roses (pun intended).
Last week I saw several in Northeastern PA. They looked more like they were interested in the flowers than making the long hard journey south or maybe they were waiting for the bus?
Last week I saw several in Northeastern PA. They looked more like they were interested in the flowers than making the long hard journey south or maybe they were waiting for the bus?
As everyone knows, the reason they fly south for the winter is because it's too far to walk.
I'm always amazed at how fast large butterflies can fly-- as fast as birds over short distances-- 20 or 30 mph. Consider how light they are and the effects of wind resistance. Compare it to throwing a wad of tissue paper which quickly reaches its terminal velocity no matter how hard you heave it.
Enjoyable 20 min presentation on everything you need to know about raising Monarchs at home....In Nature, only about one in ten (!!) Monarch eggs hatch and make it to reach maturity-- that's why we can help by bringing them inside to morph from egg to caterpillar to butterfly. ready for release.
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Such fragile little creatures making such a long and perilous journey!
