Date: 09/06/2013

Number: 1

So far this year I have raised and released 6 females and 3 males. (1 caterpillar didn't survive making it to the pupae stage thanks to a dastardly fly. 1 pupae succumbed to an ugly Black Death virus.) I haven't seen more than 3 butterflies in the yard at any one time.

10 more caterpillars and pupae are being raised.

Last year at this time according to my tagging notes, I had not released a single Monarch. Eventually, 19 were raised, tagged and released in 2012.

Plants? I have twice as many Tropical milkweed, 10, along with about 10 native milkweed plants compared to last year. The Tropicals that experience shade part of the day are doing the best in growing and attracting the butterflies. The Swamp milkweed didn't do well this year except for the early Spring. Next year I'm going to plant more common milkweed, also in partial shade. Oh yes, four Butterfly bushes are in the yard that I planted only 4 years, ago. One is about 12 feet high. Not many blossoms at the moment due to dry conditions?

Overland Park, KS

Latitude: 39 Longitude: -94.7

Observed by: Karen
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