Date: 05/30/2009

Number: 1

A very healthy looking female was seen in our common milkweed patch today nectaring on the milkweed flowers and ovipositing. This is very early for our area as we don't really expect to see the wild ones until later in the summer. You may already know that there was a release of about 3 doz. monarchs from a local business on May 16th. I was present for that release and most of those butterflies sent from Tampa, Fl, looked a bit ragged and discolored. Some looked OK. We also have had some great storms from the Gulf in the past week and it's possible she could have been blown off course--but she really looked in good shape, so my best guess is she's from the release.

Our milkweeds appear very healthy. Only a few have aphids--the cream- colored kind. There are wild lady bugs on the plants and some are mating, so I hope they will help take care of the majority of the aphids. Some of the plant leaves are curled and puckered and don't necessarily have insects on them. I did see slugs high up on a few plants, but the leaves they were on looked healthy. All of the leaves are attached to the plants and none got damaged with the storms. I heard that if a few drops of liquid soap was mixed in a squirt bottle of water it would wash the aphids off. Any thoughts on this? We're also seeing milkweed beetles early this year.

Courtesy of Monarch Watch

Brevard, NC

Latitude: 35.2 Longitude: -82.8

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