Date: 09/10/2004

Number: 1

9-10-04
This morning Kay Cunningham and I did a quarter mile survey of milkweed along the Big Canal on the Cunningham Ranch in Maverick County just 5 miles south of Quemado, TX. ( 28.88N, -100.53W approx.)

From 9 to 10:30 we saw

30 milkweeds all A. oenotheroides (yerba de zizotes) from 8" to 16" in height, multiple stems in all stages of growth, blossoming, producing pods, shedding seeds, to senescence and completely dead.

Insects present: wheel bugs, lady bugs, aphids, thrips, green lacewings, ants, grasshoppers. There were also Ceraunus Blue butterflies and their larvae present on the plants. Some plants were amazingly infested with wildlife, others relatively free of infestation. What I did not see were milkweed bugs.

2 monarchs moving due S in a leisurely manner, first was landing on plants

6 eggs

3 first instar monarch caterpillars

3 queen larvae: 2 first instar, 1 third instar (all the rich burgundy morph)

Temps 80-85dF, full sun breeze light f

Quemado (Maverick County), TX

Latitude: 28.9 Longitude: -100.5

Observed by:
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