Date: 03/25/2018

Number: 14

I went out in the morning around 9:30-10:30. It was a lovely morning for monarchs with the temperature at 73 degrees F, humidity 87%, overcast, and breezy. I noticed that some of the milkweed plants are starting to blossom.

I observed at least 9 individual monarchs as I walked around in the pastures. They were starting to become active though still resting at times. The females were looking for milkweed and laying eggs, but also nectaring ~ mostly on blackberry blossoms. The males were flying about seeking females, resting, and nectaring. One of the males preferred to nectar from false garlic flowers. After the hailstorm on March 18, there was a great loss of this nectar source, as their flowers are tiny on slender willowy stems. But they have now come back somewhat and this male was finding them just right for his morning breakfast.

One of the males liked a particular large milkweed that was somewhat tilted, but had just started blooming. He nectared from the blooms and used it as a lookout for females and a resting perch. If a female I was following headed that way, I knew I better get a photo quick, because he would soon discover her and away they would go.

One of the female monarchs I observed had extremely faded wings. I watched as she sought out milkweed and very carefully laid eggs on all the different forms of milkweed: newly emerging sprouts, tall slender vertical types, and spreading horizontal types. She was quite splendid and appeared calm and wise.

I saw at least 6 egg-laying females. They were also being spotted by the males, so often a chase would ensue. I watched as one of the females used a familiar tactic to elude her pursuer. As they were spiraling into the air, she headed for one of the large oak trees in the pasture (just now getting tender spring leaves) and flew into the branches with the male in hot pursuit. I didn't see her after that. Either she came out the other side and flew away or she hid in the leaves ~ but the male quickly returned to resume his flying over the milkweed patches.

I looked at some of the milkweed plants and found eggs, newborn larva, and a few 2nd instars.

Later in the afternoon I went into town to do grocery shopping about 8 miles away. On this trip I saw 5 monarchs. Two of them were nectaring on Yellow Thistles (Cirsium horridulum) ~ the nectar fountains for monarchs! Two of them were seen flying and one I saw at the garden section in the parking lot of the grocery store ~ what a delight! Sadly, I also saw a dead monarch on the road at a country intersection. I stopped my car and collected his beautiful form. A reminder of how fragile these beings are and how precious they are to us.

This is a photo of one of the beautiful female monarchs as she sips nectar from a blackberry blossom on this spring morning.

Montgomery, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
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