Date: 09/06/2002

Number: 1

Compared to last year, Monarch's in our area are WAY down. Last year we captured 36 in the larve stage and released all but 2.
This year we found only 6 on milkweed we planted next to our patio, and when I observed a small beetle next to one the other day, and it died shortly thereafter, I decided to bring the other 5 in the house and keep them in an aquarium with fresh picked milkweed everyday. I don't know what the beetle was, but it looked as if it stung the larve and killed it , so I couldn't allow that to happen to the other 5. One other one did die the next day, but I have 4 doing well. Today 2 of them turned into the pupa stage.
We have not seen many adults flying around this year either. We did have a bad spring weather wise. It was warm and then it got very COLD, and we also had a drought.
Hope next year brings more Monarchs to our area.

Nescopeck, PA

Latitude: 41.1 Longitude: -76.2

Observed by: Sherry
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