Date: 07/09/2016

Number: 1

I have yet to see any Monarch butterflies this year, despite checking all the usual local places with milkweeds. The milkweeds are healthy and blooming, but there is no evidence of any caterpillars. (We had spotted several by this time last year.) However, I did discover this little fella (gender uncertain) munching on the flowers of a swamp milkweed in my yard when I got home from work last Saturday evening (7/9/2016). He was 0.75” long at that time. Today he is 1.75” long and munching away. He appears to like to go back and forth between eating leaves and eating flowers.
I am uncertain as to his linage since a nursing home where my Mother resides about a half mile west of my house did a Monarch butterfly release back on June 18th. His parents may have been part of that release, or perhaps he is progeny of one of the generations out of Mexico. In either case, what I find surprising is that I have found no Monarch caterpillars in the nursing home garden this year, despite there being numerous common and swamp milkweeds growing there. Last year there were at least a couple dozen caterpillars.
- Tim

Bellefonte, PA

Latitude: 40.9 Longitude: -77.8

Observed by: R. Timothy
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