Date: 01/01/2004

Number: 1

I planted Mexican
Milkweed in my garden (eight large plants) last spring (2003). I had
Monarch butterflies throughout the rest of the year, and up to last week. I
cut the milkweed back last week, because it had overgrown the flower bed
(was in excess of 8 feet tall); I have not seen butterflies since last week.
However, there are two Monarch caterpillars and a few eggs still on the
plants, which had begun to sprout new limbs from the base of the plants.

I counted 41 caterpillars from Thanksgiving through the last week of
February, with numerous butterflies all winter, even during the cold days
(my Milkweed is on the south side of my house). I do have a problem with
assassin bugs and the flies that lay their eggs in the caterpillars, do I am
sure that I lost many to them.

Contributed by Mike Quinn, Texas" Monarch Watch

Reported 03/25/04

Pearland, TX

Latitude: 29.6 Longitude: -95.3

Observed by:
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