Date: 03/15/2008

Number: 1

March 28
I didn't make note of the exact date of emergence but I can say this -- in more than 3 decades of observation (closer to 4, actually), I've NEVER seen monarchs returning to north Texas from Mexico when there wasn't milkweed up. I've seen this reported in recent years and it's simply not true. I've even seen reports from knowledgeable individuals saying there were monarchs here but no milkweed up and then walked out and found our native milkweeds not only up but some plants up to almost 10+ inches! I can see how this type of report starts because not all the milkweed comes up at the same time. Mid-to-late March it is far more scattered and small and more difficult to find, but it IS there. I've gone to some sites that are covered in milkweed later in April and not found a twig in mid-late March, yet other sites will have sprigs here and there.

If someone is just hitting their favorite site and not finding anything it just means it isn't coming out at that particular site. While I haven't actively been looking for any this year, I did take a quick walk around today and found several sprigs of A. asperula more than 8 inches long, which means they would have been up and growing when the first monarchs were found here a couple of weeks ago.

Editor's note: Date of emergence estimated March 15

Dallas, TX

Latitude: 32.8 Longitude: -96.8

Observed by: Dale
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.