Date: 03/29/2020

Number: 12

I went on a short walk in the pastures around ll:10-11:30am this morning and saw 12+ individual monarchs. Beautiful morning and beautiful monarchs! It was sunny with some clouds, about 63 degrees F, humid, with heavy dew on the grass.

The monarchs were flying, egg-laying, sunbathing, and nectaring on wildflowers including the now blooming milkweed. I observed one female laying eggs on milkweed, then resting on the ground with her wings spread to catch the sun's warmth. A large buzzing bee flew above her ~ she quickly closed her wings till he had passed, then resumed her sunbathing.

I was following one female as she looked for milkweed to lay her eggs on. A male spotted her and zoomed toward her. They took off into the air on a merry chase, but she eluded him by flying through the branches and spring leaves of a large tree.

The milkweed is abundant and healthy. Most of the milkweed plants I check have eggs or larvae. We've had plenty of rain recently. The nectar wildflowers are also abundant with a variety of favorites to choose from, including lyre-leaf sage, pink and yellow thistles, and wild blackberry blossoms.

This is a photo of one of the male monarchs enjoying nectar from a newly blooming milkweed on this cool morning.

Montgomery, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
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