Date: 07/15/2011

Number: 1

Within the past week, I am beginning to see monarch larva in my yard,(almost 4 acres including an acre we do not mow, with milkweed and flower growth encouraged) though I have only seen adults 3-4 times and only one at a time. I have planted butterfly weed, which is in it's 3rd year now, and have a pot of "Family Jewel" milkweed right by the front porch. I moved 3 caterpillars from this to a stand of wild (native) milkweed by the pond, so they would not consume the plant, but I watched one reach maturity there.(I was not able to find the chrysalis.)I also found one dead larva that appeared to have been attacked by an insect I call a "stink" or Shield Bug. I have never seen that before and I am not sure whether this insect kills/eats caterpillars or not. It seems that the caterpillars prefer the butterfly weed, or maybe the adults prefer the flowers, since they bloomed before the wild variety, which is coming into full bloom now.The tall butterfly bushes are coming into bloom now, so I expect to see more adults daily!

Lancaster, OH

Latitude: 39.7 Longitude: -82.6

Observed by: Mary
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