Date: 08/30/2011

Number: 1

The last eggs that I found here in New Jersey were last Wednesday on 8/24. Just prior to the Hurricane I still had two females laying eggs on my Tropical Milkweed. Also last Friday while cutting some roadside Common Milkweed for the cats that I'm raising I found 3 5th instars, one 4th and three 3rds. So far the 5th instars have all pupated with no signs of disease or parasitism. (keeping my fingers crossed) On Friday night just before the Hurricane I brought all 126 pots of Tropical into the garage for safe keeping. I put it back out yesterday and released 6 Monarchs that I reared from eggs but none was interested in sticking around to nectar. They all said "I Gotta Go, Gotta Go". Today brought temps here in northern New Jersey back into the low 80's with beautiful blue skies and virtually no wind. Had a few Yellow and Black Swallowtails but no signs of any Monarchs. Hopefully we'll begin to see migrants making their way through. Thankfully most of the flowers survived the harsh hurricane winds and driving rain. I did have to cut some out that was damaged but was able to use duct tape and zip ties to repair the splintered butterfly bush that many of the butterflies rely on. With duct tape and zip ties you can repair almost anything even a butterfly bush.

Courtesy of Monarch Watch

Oak Ridge, NJ

Latitude: 41 Longitude: -74.5

Observed by:
Contact Observer

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