Date: 08/21/2011

Number: 1

Forwarded message that was posted on dallasbutterflies@yahoogroups.com on 08/21/11:

I've had two monarchs eclose this week that I found as 5th instars wandering around on the milkweed. I didn't know any eggs had been laid, so these guys were out there on their own on the mikweek in the heat with some aphids and they were fine.

I'm in the Dallas area. We had one small break two weeks ago where we had some clouds and 0.1" of rain so the temp was below 100 for one day. Aside from that, we had 41 days over 100 in a row and now it's been over 100 every day again.

So yes the caterpillars were outside in that weather. They were in a very thick patch of tropical milkweed that shares a raised bed with some big zinnias. They are in path of the sprinkler head for my aerobid septic system so they probably have a shadier, cooler, damper environment than most milkweed in pastures around here. When I found them they were up near the top of the milkweed early in the AM so I brought them in, that was around August 6 or so (I didn't keep records). We fed
them for a couple of days and then they pupated, first one, then the other. The first one eclosed Friday and the second eclosed this AM but it's still just hanging so I haven't released it yet.

Dallas, TX

Latitude: 32.8 Longitude: -96.8

Observed by: Paul
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