Monarchs

[SpookyShoe]

It's flawless.

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[MissS]

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

[GoDawgs]

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.

[Rockoe10]

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[Whwoz]

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.

[Sue_CT]

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.

[AZGardener]

[mention]SpookyShoe[/mention] Beautiful female.

[SpookyShoe]

AZ, I had to look up the difference between a male and a female.

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[Sue_CT]

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

[SpookyShoe]

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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[Growing Coastal]

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.

[svalli]

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.

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This release photo is dated September 15 2005. It was just week before our son's 6th birthday

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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

[AZGardener]

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

[svalli]

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.

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It seems that the Monarchs are still there.

Sari

[Whwoz]

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

[SpookyShoe]

Twins!

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[SpookyShoe]

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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[SpookyShoe]

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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.