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Monarch Butterfly Update: April 5, 2012 |
Please Report
Your Sightings! |
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Kentucky had a first this week—a monarch as well as a basketball team! Six states saw a clear wave of arrival, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee. Look closely at images of magnified butterfly eggs. Small things become extraordinary when keenly observed. Also, answers from the expert are here. Enjoy!
This Week's Update Includes:
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Image of the Week |
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Eggs! |
Photo: Becky Collins |
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News: Laying Eggs Along the Way |
Eggs Mean Monarchs
One way to watch for monarchs is to watch for their eggs. You'll know a butterfly has arrived in your region even if you never see one:
"I haven't personally seen a monarch yet—but obviously there was at least one female!" wrote teacher Becky Collins from Nashville, Tennessee. She and her class discovered 15 monarch eggs!
Egg and Habitat Observations
People noticed details about eggs and habitat this week. What new facts can you learn from these observers?
- Oklahoma: Sandra Schwinn found 46 eggs on her milkweed plants, plus one predator: "I found a ladybug who was enjoying an egg. She has been removed!" All of the eggs were laid on native milkweed. "None was layed on the non-native (curassavica)," she noted.
- Texas: Several eggs were found in a garden in McKinney. "Some plants had multiple eggs but most had one egg per plant.
- Tennessee: "Our first monarch of the season was observed laying eggs on our milkweed sprouts in a garden area. Almost every sprout has one or two eggs. This is far different from last year, when there was so little milkweed that the female was laying over a dozen on each sprout."
Early Milkweed!
This spring's early green-up continued. Milkweed has now emerged 600 miles farther north—and as much as one month earlier—than last year! Compare this spring to last spring on the animated map.
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Photo Gallery: Egg Hunt |
Explore the science and wonder of butterfly eggs by looking closely at images of magnified eggs. Small things become extraordinary when they are keenly observed!
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Egg Hunt |
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Answers from the Expert: Dr. Karen Oberhauser |
Special thanks to Dr. Karen Oberhauser for sharing her time and expertise again this year to answer readers' questions.
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Dr. Karen Oberhauser |
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The Migration: Maps and Journal Page |
Let's find out when and where monarchs and milkweed appear this spring.
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The next monarch migration update will be posted on April 12, 2012. |
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