Date: 05/25/2013

Number: 1

For the past 20+ years, I’ve been checking hundreds of milkweed plants around Lancaster County, PA until I find the first monarch egg. Typically, I find it during the last week of April or the first week of May. Without searching through mounds of data, the latest I recall finding the first egg was on May 11. Because of the low numbers coming North from Mexico and the abnormally cold spring, I’ve greatly increased my search to about 50 locations throughout the county to be sure I don’t miss any monarch activity. I have examined several thousand plants, most of them more than once, and can say with some certainty that the monarchs just aren’t here. I hope we aren’t seeing a glimpse of a future where monarchs are few and far between. For now, the search continues…

Courtesy of Monarch Watch

Lancaster, PA

Latitude: 40 Longitude: -76.4

Observed by: Gayle
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