Date: 04/23/2019

Number: 1

Today as I went out collecting milkweed leaves for our indoor-raised monarch caterpillars, I saw fresh eggs and monarch larvae at various stages of development.

I only saw one very faded, but sprightly, male monarch flying around today, busily checking the tall prairie plantains and the milkweed patches. He would rest briefly at times, then set off fast on his mission to survey the nursery on this overcast, sometimes misty day.

At 11:00 am it was 72 degrees F, cloudy, with 88% humidity, and light breezes from the southeast. On the milkweed plants that I looked at, I saw eggs, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd instars, as well as a 5th instar. There were quite a few newborns.

Currently, inside I have 26 chrysalises that are from monarch caterpillars brought indoors to raise. The first few changed into chrysalises on April 14, so it is getting close for the new monarch butterflies to be born.

This is a photo of the 5th instar monarch caterpillar nibbling away as he/she nestles in the flowering crown of a milkweed ~ quite a cutie!

Montgomery, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
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