Date: 05/19/2012

Number: 1

When we came back to Chassell yesterday (5/19), after a month away we spotted lots of monarch butterflies in our yard , among the flowers and nearby trees as well as on the milkweed.

May 20
I just went out to my milkweed patch and while I was checking there flew one ragged Monarch ans then that one left and as I was unloading the camper stuff into the house another monarch in much better condition flew into my patch. My milkweed is not as thick as other years but spread out a bit, and milkweed is at various stages. But it seems like since we arrived home Friday afternoon there have been at least one or two monarchs flying around in the milkweed every time we look My patch is located near the house between the attached garage and another gravel road to the back yard, with the bay window of the computer room overlooking all . Perhaps some of these are repeats at the milkweed and come and go as I do not know how long an individual stays at one patch. Last year was a poor year with late Spring, lots of predators and bad weather the last monarch emerging from a chrysalis very late in the season with cold rainy weather. So I am hoping this year is better. Some of the larva make their chrysalides inside the garage, (we never spot them crawling in) some on the outside siding.and some on milkweed, etc.

Chassell, MI

Latitude: 47 Longitude: -88.6

Observed by: Mary
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