"So excited to see our first monarch. We've had incredibly hot temperatures—in the 80's—for the past 4 days, with lots of spring growth."

Finding 1st Eggs
Egg reports increased dramatically this week as the butterflies got down to the business of breeding in the north. Among those who saw their 1st eggs were 4th graders at Ventnor Elementary in New Jersey.

"During reading class at 10 a.m. we observed a female monarch laying eggs on common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) in our pollinator garden." May 27, 2014 Ventnor, NJ

The number of reports is encouraging, especially when compared to last spring at this time. Look at comparative maps of 1st egg reports from 2009-2014.

Egg-laying Preferences
Thank you to obervers who submitted pictures showing various parts of the milkweed plant where monarchs laid eggs. Explore the images and consider how oviposition selection could be related to offspring survival.

Rates of Survival
Fewer than 10% of eggs laid survive past the first instar caterpillar stage, and predation is a central cause of mortality, according Dr. Oberhauser's research. Egg-laying strategies that avoid predation are critically important. Assess the rate of survival in your milkweed patch by counting eggs each day.

"Of the 40 eggs I counted on May 12th, only 22 were found a week later." May 22, 2014 Goshen, IN