Date: 03/16/2006

Number: 1

Altus and I drove by and checked four hay pastures on the southeastern side of Victoria for milkweed. We were looking for the native Asclepias viridis but even found some A. oenotheroides. In all four we could see a few blooms of viridis from the pavement. We walked a small portion of one patch that is about three acres and found mostly young sprouts, three to five inches, but some blooms on stems eight to ten inches long. We checked for eggs and found none but found signs on two leaves of larval activity. Right now the crop, at least where we walked, looks to be right along with last year.
We saw three monarchs for the day, one working to the NNE over one of the patches with milkweed. A bit of rain, even a heavy fog, would sure help! But right now the milkweed is the best looking weed in hay patch!

Victoria, TX

Latitude: 28.8 Longitude: -97

Observed by: Harlen E.
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