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*Happy Discovery*

Lori

By Lori

13 comments


The Monarchs are here!


It’s cause for celebration because it’s been almost 4 years since I’ve seen any in my garden, when they used to be so plentiful.
I encouraged the growth of Asclepias (milkweed) in the meadow and have many healthy plants. Have seen only one adult butterfly, but this morning, when checking out the sweet smells emanating from the milkweed, I happened to see this lovely fellow on the underside of a leaf. Hurrah!

Larva looks mature enough to pupate… will have to get pics of that too… All hail the monarch!
UPDATE: It’s the morning after and our friend is still there, eating happily on another milkweed. We had a cracking dandy thunderstorm last night and I had to go out first thing to make sure our larva was still there after all the rain and wind.

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Comments

 

well a real cause for celebration Lori. that is great news.

7 Jul, 2017

 

Nice to know they are back after such a long time ... :)

7 Jul, 2017

 

What a smart chap. You really have something to look forward to Lori!

8 Jul, 2017

 

He is a big one Lori lovely to hear of their return lets hope they continue to come back for you.

8 Jul, 2017

 

What a happy discovery. A stunningly beautiful caterpillar...as lovely as the butterfly itself. :)

8 Jul, 2017

 

It looks HUGE! I hope you post images as it transforms.

(Wouldn't mind a thunderstorm here to clear the air!)

8 Jul, 2017

 

Wow Eirlys....its only 20 in my greenhouse today!! Its max 14C here. Unbelievable difference in such a small country isn't it.

9 Jul, 2017

vjd
Vjd
 

here in New York i have not seen any Monarchs , a few white, and earlier a few black/yellow ones now nothing you must have them all.

12 Jul, 2017

 

I've been hoping to post a pic of a crysalis but no luck I'm afraid. I wonder... Have since seen a butterfly but it was too soon for it to be the product of the larva that I saw. It is encouraging all the same. Last summer there was a major public effort to plant milkweed in an effort to help the monarch. I had a small patch of Asclepias that managed to produce some seed pods... interesting things which split open to release paratrooper seeds... fluffy and airborne they seeded another part of my meadow! Now I have a lovely smelling patch of pretty pink flowers and I also have Monarchs! Hurrah. isn't it great when you get it right? Thanks for all the encouragement GoY folk.
I hope they're coming your way Vjd. It's been very cool so far this summer..
The larva change a few times after hatching from an egg which is not very large... I think this larva is about to pupate. (I think that's the process..) The crysalis is a beautiful thing, Jade green with metalic gold spots usually hanging on the underside of the milkweed leaf.
Hope you get some warmth soon Karen... Mid July marks the end of the high arctic summer... it only gets colder from here on in. What happened to the southerly summer flow, I wonder?

12 Jul, 2017

vjd
Vjd
 

Please do not mention the cold word!

12 Jul, 2017

 

just read, on the CBC site, that an ice shelf the size of Prince Edward Island had broken away from Antarctica... Wonder what that will do to the temps of the Atlantic currents? especially the Gulf Stream.

13 Jul, 2017

 

All very interesting, thank you everyone.

14 Jul, 2017

 

Lori! Brrrr!

14 Jul, 2017

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