Date: 05/07/2008

Number: 1

Today, about 2 PM - 65 degrees and partly sunny... I was sitting on a bench in my garden when a large but faded female Monarch butterfly flew by...and all around the yard, which is fenced...and around again...searching.
I thought I saw one yesterday but it was too swift in passing for me to be certain of the identity.. But it a sure thing today.

I followed her around the yard. She flew over the fence and returned repeatedly. Somehow, using her Monarch radar, she managed to find the tiniest shoots of common milkweed - about two inches high, on which she deposited some eggs. There are at least a dozen eggs on this pathetic little patch of milkweed. How will these small stalks sustain the little critters when they hatch? It seems to me the milkweed is so slow emerging this year but since this is the first year I have anticipated its appearance, I cannot be sure that it is not right on time for this neck of the woods. Could the Monarch be early? I can only hope with sunshine, the latest rains and warmer temperatures, the milkweed demonstrates an enormous growth spurt in time to fee the hungry instars. I was tempted to bring them in and begin my Monarch project 2008, but I have nothing to feed them. So I will just watch and wait to see what Mother Nature has in store. Happy Mothers Day Mrs. Monarch.

Courtesy of Monarch Watch

Lake Geneva, WI

Latitude: 42.6 Longitude: -88.5

Observed by:
Contact Observer

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