Monarchs

Show us those beautiful gardens
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SpookyShoe
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Monarchs

#1

Post: # 50711Unread post SpookyShoe
Sun Jul 18, 2021 8:34 am

It's flawless.

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Donna, zone 9, El Lago, Texas

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MissS
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Re: Monarchs

#2

Post: # 50734Unread post MissS
Sun Jul 18, 2021 12:52 pm

It sure is! It must have just eclosed (emerged from it's chrysalis).
~ Patti ~

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GoDawgs
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Re: Monarchs

#3

Post: # 50896Unread post GoDawgs
Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:50 pm

Just a little monarch stiory. This morning PIckles brought in the mail, was flipping through it and all of a sudden bust out laughing. One of the envelopes had on it "Save the monarchs before it's too late!" What caused her to laugh was that her initial thought was "Why do we need to save the Monarchs? They have more money than any of us will ever have!" She laughed at herself when she realized what they were really talking about.

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Rockoe10
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Re: Monarchs

#4

Post: # 50897Unread post Rockoe10
Wed Jul 21, 2021 1:00 pm

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Rob, ZONE 6A with 170 days between frost dates, Western Pennsylvania

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Whwoz
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Re: Monarchs

#5

Post: # 50922Unread post Whwoz
Wed Jul 21, 2021 6:02 pm

Another little Monarch story while I remember. About 40, maybe 45, years ago someone thought it would be a good idea to release these into select Australian gardens that were growing one of the milkweed plants that were suitable food for the caterpillars of the Monarch. So a select few got to see the "football Grubs" as we called them (I was around 10 at the time, from memory). To the best of my knowledge they have died out here, which is for the best, even as beautiful as they are.

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Sue_CT
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Re: Monarchs

#6

Post: # 50965Unread post Sue_CT
Thu Jul 22, 2021 9:53 am

Is definitely prime butterfly time. I am glad to see Monarchs seem to be making a comeback. Put down my hammer and drill to admire this one in my backyard yesterday.

Image

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AZGardener
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Re: Monarchs

#7

Post: # 51012Unread post AZGardener
Fri Jul 23, 2021 8:23 am

[mention]SpookyShoe[/mention] Beautiful female.
USDA Zone 9b, Sunset Zone 13
Average Rainfall 9.5 inches
Climate: Sonoran Desert

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SpookyShoe
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Re: Monarchs

#8

Post: # 51013Unread post SpookyShoe
Fri Jul 23, 2021 9:47 am

AZ, I had to look up the difference between a male and a female.
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Donna, zone 9, El Lago, Texas

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Sue_CT
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Re: Monarchs

#9

Post: # 51017Unread post Sue_CT
Fri Jul 23, 2021 10:44 am

I had looked it up too, so I knew mine was a male. Interesting.

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SpookyShoe
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Re: Monarchs

#10

Post: # 57692Unread post SpookyShoe
Sat Nov 20, 2021 8:59 am

There are some caterpillars on the milkweed right now. Hopefully, barring some abnormal/extreme weather conditions they can grow and form a chrysalis. I'll be watching them carefully as I have been lucky enough to see some as they emerge from the chrysalis and turn into butterflies.
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Donna, zone 9, El Lago, Texas

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Growing Coastal
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Re: Monarchs

#11

Post: # 57867Unread post Growing Coastal
Mon Nov 22, 2021 10:33 am

They used to feast on my mother's row of dill in her garden in Ontario. They would put out a stink when I touched with them. Mom always let them have the dill. I'd always see milkweed growing in the wild when we picked mushrooms in the fall.

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svalli
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Re: Monarchs

#12

Post: # 57914Unread post svalli
Tue Nov 23, 2021 5:00 am

My son has been interested about nature and insects since he was little. When we lived in Wisconsin he used to collect all sorts of caterpillars and feed them until they pupated. Monarchs were my favorites, not only because they are beautiful, but that migration thing is interesting.

I found some old photos from 2005.
Monarchcatepillar.JPG
Monarchpupa.JPG
This release photo is dated September 15 2005. It was just week before our son's 6th birthday
Mikko and Monarch.JPG
Now he is on his third semester studying biology in university and is working on some international study to collect DNA-samples mainly from invertebrates. So he is still exited about insect collecting and now gets paid doing it.


Sari
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"I only want to live in peace, plant potatoes and dream."
- Moomin-troll by Tove Jansson

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AZGardener
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Re: Monarchs

#13

Post: # 57995Unread post AZGardener
Wed Nov 24, 2021 6:57 am

In my area the Queen butterflies show up a few weeks ahead of the Monarchs. This year I saw only one Monarch but do have a few Queen caterpillars on one of the milkweed plants. I grow several varieties, but their favorite seems to be Asclepias curassavica (tropical milkweed).
I learned the difference between M/F when I was tagging them for a project locally. I had to keep records of sex/location/condition, .etc.
The Queen caterpillars look a lot like Monarchs but they have a 3rd set of antennae in the middle of their body. Monarchs have two sets, front and back. HTH
USDA Zone 9b, Sunset Zone 13
Average Rainfall 9.5 inches
Climate: Sonoran Desert

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svalli
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Re: Monarchs

#14

Post: # 58121Unread post svalli
Thu Nov 25, 2021 12:34 pm

Whwoz wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 6:02 pm Another little Monarch story while I remember. About 40, maybe 45, years ago someone thought it would be a good idea to release these into select Australian gardens that were growing one of the milkweed plants that were suitable food for the caterpillars of the Monarch. So a select few got to see the "football Grubs" as we called them (I was around 10 at the time, from memory). To the best of my knowledge they have died out here, which is for the best, even as beautiful as they are.
I was just watching on TV a series about Australia's forests. This episode started at Morialta Falls and they had couple of shots, where it looks like there is a Monarch butterfly. I had to go watch the beginning again on internet and was able to get a screen shot.
image.png
It seems that the Monarchs are still there.

Sari
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"I only want to live in peace, plant potatoes and dream."
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Whwoz
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Re: Monarchs

#15

Post: # 58124Unread post Whwoz
Thu Nov 25, 2021 3:30 pm

Sari, that would not surprise me seeing where that Park is located. I do recall seeing milkweed in areas on the Mid North Coast of NSW (around Port Macquarie) in another area they would survive if introduced there

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SpookyShoe
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Re: Monarchs

#16

Post: # 58862Unread post SpookyShoe
Wed Dec 08, 2021 8:12 pm

Twins!
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Donna, zone 9, El Lago, Texas

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SpookyShoe
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Re: Monarchs

#17

Post: # 59179Unread post SpookyShoe
Thu Dec 16, 2021 8:19 am

Yesterday the green chrysalis (I have a few) turned very dark; I expected the butterfly to emerge that day. But it didn't. When I woke up this morning and checked on it, it had emerged apparently just as the sun was starting to rise because it was still darkish outside. An hour later it is still drying its wings. The butterfly is flawless.
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Donna, zone 9, El Lago, Texas

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SpookyShoe
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Re: Monarchs

#18

Post: # 59228Unread post SpookyShoe
Fri Dec 17, 2021 12:25 pm

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I just stumbled across this a few minutes ago. A newly hatched butterfly drying it's wings and an empty chrysalis. This is at the base of a Bradford pear tree. I had no idea it was there.
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Donna, zone 9, El Lago, Texas

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