Date: 07/07/2014

Number: 1

First monarch of the season for me. It was checking out milkweed, some blooming, some not.

It was not nectaring, but pausing at the short 8" milkweeds inside the mowed dog yard, ignoring the tall blooming milkweeds along the fence. Before it flew over the 5' fence into the yard, it did look at the blooming plants on the outside of the fence, but did not linger. It seemed to be searching for something.

We do mow our pastures, but leave milkweeds on the edges, banks, and keep several wild thickets. Will look for eggs - and more butterflies.

Last week my husband watched an orange & black butterfly about 5' away. It was moving quite erratically and was "dark orange." He looked it up (Kaufman & Audubon) and decided "viceroy". He said today's butterfly was moving quite differently, fluttering from plant to plant. We are both keeping our eyes open for more butterflies and eggs.

Canaan, NH

Latitude: 43.7 Longitude: -72

Observed by: Susan
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