Date: 01/07/2006

Number: 1

Atascocita is experiencing temperatures in the 80-degree range. I currently have three chrysalis hanging. Over the weekend I counted 10 caterpillar in varying stages from 1/4 inch long to ready to hang. Since they walk a long way to hang, I'm not finding them all, but they are somewhere. That is just on one planting area. I have five areas of plants and the caterpillars are in all of them. Two weeks back, I saw three butterflies "chasing each other" all over the garden. Last weekend, I only saw a couple of solitary butterflies, but it was constant all day both days of the weekend. They were large healthy looking butterflies.

Two weeks ago, I released five butterflies, four females, one male, all healthy, large butterflies that I raised inside during a cold snap. One did not hatch.

I am thrilled and excited to still have as many Monarch butterflies and caterpillars still in my yard.

I believe I get more butterflies through my garden on the Journey South as its a wider sweep. It appears as they head north that the track is narrower, only my observation from my Spring/Fall migration pattern. Due to the unseasonably warm weather, my host plants are still producing leaves and, although getting eaten down now, they can still support life. My nectar plants are abundant still, so there is a good food source, my water source is plentiful, and, the key for the Journey South population, is there are no wasps that eat the caterpillars. I have a huge problem in spring, if the migration north is late, the wasps are out and they are merciless. I really have to diligently watch the plants and take off the babies early and move them inside to a safe haven otherwise, I'd have no population. What's nice in the fall is, I don't have to mess with mother nature, I let it takes its course, unless, the temperatures really drop, and we did get a cool spell early, at which time, I moved as many inside as I could.

Atascocita, TX

Latitude: 30 Longitude: -95.2

Observed by: Sue
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