Butterflies this year

I released 7 black swallowtail butterflies, and so far 2 monarchs, three monarchs still in their crystalis

I can text a couple pictures if someone wants to post them

I planted some milkweeds around the edge of our house on two sides 3 years ago and now I am getting a lot of monarchs.

Bryce

Remember when Milkweed was considered a Noxious weed was to be eradicated on sight. Now we know it is a important part of eh life cycle of butterflies

The Monarch Butterfly are in the midst of their annual migration

here along the eastern shore of Great Lake Ontario.

Many thousands are passing along the sand beaches

of Southwick Beach State Park in the town of Ellisburg, N.Y.

in Jefferson County every day on their way south.

This is the best migration (numbers wise)

that I have witnessed in the past 10 years

w

When I mowed the Pipelines at my house I mowed all around the milkweed,

I have been seeing the first of the monarch migration here in se Colorado. It seems a bit early TBH.

Our house sits in 3 acres of prairie flowers.
LOTS of Monarchs.
We have 3 Butterfly weeds (type of milkweed) planted in a garden next to the house.
These 3 poor plants have been destroyed by Monarch caterpillars.
There is barely any leaves left and all but a few seed pods have been chewed up.
I pulled 38 caterpillars at one time off these 3 plants.

There is very few milkweeds in the 3 acre field around the house, I figure that the butterfly's are attracted to the area then have a hard time finding milkweeds for the caterpillars except for the 3 large ones by the house.

Well done!

I still have caterpillars on the milkweed. A few look big enough to pupate soon. They better get a move on if they are headed south this season.
For years now, I have mowed around the dozen or so milkweed that comes up on my front lawn. I get some strange looks here and there but it's my lawn and I hate lawn grass anyway. There are no children here so I have no use for much of a lawn.
The milkweed looks grand standing stately over all those pussytoes that make up most of my front lawn.....Yup. Did i mention I hate lawn grass?

It's also a host plant for a moth which if I remember correctly is a Tussock Moth.
There are at least 2 beetles associated with it and most butterflies will use the flowers. Bees too including honeybees.
When the flowers are in bloom they will rival any rose for its fragrance.

Wow! That's a lot of caterpillars!!

There is a lot of them here for the last month. /and they are just starting to make the crystalist thing.....jk

What's cool is the Appalachian mtns to east coast those go to Florida, midwest to Rockies they go to Mexico, Rockies and west they go to California

I just couldn't find any egg's again this year. I have gathered seed and have it growing in an area and have checked many times for eggs and holes from them eating. Nothing yet.

It's strange that I see some plants that get no eggs and one close to them gets many. I have quite a few milkweed plants here and the 30 or so caterpillars I have seen have all been on maybe 6 plants.
Almost all of those 30 were eaten by predators.
Right now, I have 5 or 6 caterpillars that are large enough to pupate.
As yet, I have not seen a cocoon.
Next season , I may build a small rearing cage....maybe.

Crystalis, not cocoon,
If you have the time, bring them in to the house and feed them fresh plants daily

Yesterday, 2 caterpillars started to form crystalis. This morning, 1 had finished. The other was killed by ground wasps and carried off in bits.
I have plans to build a safe wood duck box by next spring. They keep trying to nest in the squirrel and owl boxes i have and those are not protected from coons which sometimes get the eggs.
I may add a rearing enclosure for the caterpillars as well.
I still see the butterflies most every day. They are normally headed south about this time. They will be gone soon.

We have hatched 3 monarchs so far and waiting for the fourth to finish. We were walking on the hill the other night and saw well over 100 monarchs. It made me very happy to see them doing so well.

Each year I have hundreds of Monarchs along my driveway perched in the pine trees in migration mode. I think the reason they show up at my place is the ditches are loaded with milkweed plants.

That'll do it! I keep trying to plant and grow some milkweed plants, but not having much luck.

That would be neat to see! Trapper 7

They stopped in my parents yard one day many years ago... The tree branches actually sagged a little due to so many butterflies on them.

It's something you'll never forget.

Mike

If you see it again take pictures! Sounds awesome

I have learned a lot about the life of a Monarch caterpillar this summer. The chance of a caterpillar just making it to the chrystilus stage is really dismal.
The last 2 that made it to that stage were attacked by ground wasps when they just started. The first one they got.
This last one had a few wounds on it when I gave in and chased the wasps off. I brought it in.
It has come loose from its anchor so I super glued it to the end of a toothpick. It is still alive so it does have a chance of living.
If the wasps didn't sting it, It MIGHT make it.

I saw a wasp eating a full sized monarch caterpillar, I killed a dozen or more with a fly swatter

My fifth and last monarch flew away yesterday, hope they make it to the mountains of Mexico!

My daughter has 3 so far this one we released yesturday.

Waiting for 2 more still

My daughter took these pictures by Lake Michigan

She has video too Very nice experience for her

^ Wow! That is beautiful and thanks for sharing.

That's cool! Thanks,
Looks like daughter enjoys it!

A week ago I was fishing out on Lake St.Clair on the Michigan side and watched Monarchs all day flying over the water heading South.

I was thinking today of the instance where those ground wasps killed 2 Monarch caterpillars that I happened to witness. The caterpillars had reached the stage where they were forming chrysalis. Before this, the wasps did not bother with them. When they first formed that "j" shape, the wasps left them alone. I believe it was only when they split the skin that they were attacked. Maybe at that time they emit some type of odor that attracts the wasps.
If you have ever cleaned squirrels in August or September, you will know how quickly those ground wasps show up with the smell of blood. They are relentless.
Next season, I will have a rearing box. I saw quite a few caterpillars here this season. As far as I know, the one chrysalis hanging out there at present is the only one to make it that far. It is due out about next Saturday.

Wow, a lot of stuff eat them, more than I knew

Trumpty don't care about that