Date: 03/23/2018

Number: 18

Today was an amazing monarch day! Lots of monarchs about ~ flying, resting, nectaring, egg-laying, and mating. Around 11:00 it was 76 degrees F, very windy/gusty, clouds and sun, and humidity at 57%.

As I followed one female monarch as she laid eggs, she was spotted by a male. As he zoomed to her, I thought they would fly off, but then I saw that the male was doing a "dance" about a foot above the grass for about a minute. He fluttered there in mid-air excitedly, then dropped suddenly. I realized the female had not flown away but was hiding (?) below in the grass. They ended up mating.

As I watched another female as she was laying eggs in a very abundant milkweed patch, a second female began egg-laying very near (within a few feet). Well something had to be done ... the first monarch confronted the other monarch lady and they very briefly swirled in the air. The newcomer got the message, flew high, and then dropped back down about 30 feet away to look for milkweed in that area, while the first monarch went back to her egg-laying in the prized patch.

Today was also the day I found the first monarch larva! I was looking at a very hail-damaged milkweed plant with its stalk bent completely (almost broken) with the crown (buds) on the ground. On a leaf by the crown there was a wonderful little 1st instar, probably 2 days old. I should have been looking more closely at the milkweed, but the monarch butterflies themselves have been taking all my attention

The monarchs, both male and female, nectared often on blackberry vines which are abundant throughout the pastures, woodland edges, and fence lines. This is a photo of one of the female monarchs as she takes a much-needed sip of nectar from a wild blackberry blossom.

Montgomery, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.