Date: 02/14/2003

Number: 1

Several individuals with Ascelpias curassavica in their backyard butterfly gardens here told us of monarchs in January and early February. The last of the backyard chrysalides that we had been watching eclosed on February 7. We finished cutting our A. curassavica to the ground the last week of January. With the temperatures this week being very warm, highs in the 70's and lows in the 50's, the curassavica is rebounding quickly and should have good growth in early March when we expect the monarchs returning from Mexico to arrive in the area. There is a small overwintering colony of monarchs 15 miles closer to the Gulf in Port O'Connor. These monarchs had a wild, native milkweed available until late January (when a light freeze got it) if they wanted to use it as a host.

Port Lavaca, TX

Latitude: 28.5 Longitude: -96.7

Observed by: Harlen E.
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