Date: 04/03/2014

Number: 1

Today was windy, cloudy, and around 78 degrees F. Walking in the pastures around noon to 1pm I saw 10 monarchs, probably 7 were females as they seemed faded and the 3 that were bright were possibly males. The females fluttered low over the pastures stopping to lay eggs, while the males swooped around quite speedily. I watched one female egg-laying very diligently who then paused to nectar on blackberry blossoms. She was spotted by a male who gave chase, but she eluded him by flying through the new spring foliage of a large tree. She came out the top seconds later, while he emerged from bottom. I have her photo nectaring on a blackberry blossom. Note her faded & somewhat tattered wings -- a brave lady. Later in the day I took a brief survey of the milkweed and looked at 154 plants. Of that number 66 plants had no eggs, 64 had 1 egg, 14 had 2 eggs, 3 had 3 eggs, 4 had 4 eggs, and 3 had 5 eggs. Total eggs = 132.

Dobbin, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
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