Date: 04/10/2022

Number: 20

At noon it was 78 degrees F, sunny (with a few clouds), wind 23 mph from the S, with 51% humidity. Again, it was super windy ~ seeming to get windier each day! The monarchs dealt with it going about their business ~ always strong and skillful fliers. For me, I felt like I would be blown over at times.

I observed more than 20 individual monarchs. The females were actively looking for milkweed & egg-laying. Sometimes they were resting in the grass (getting out of the wind) or nectaring from wild blackberry blossoms. The males were flying around, keeping track of nectar spots & milkweed patches (air tussling with each other), and at times chasing females.

At one point I was observing two female monarchs fluttering low ~ checking milkweed and egg-laying. They seem to look for milkweed that does not have eggs already on it, which takes some close inspection and care. Both of them eventually were chased (up & away with the wind) by male monarchs who were hidden in the grass near the milkweed patches. This is a good tactic for the males.

Here is a photo of one of the females as she lays her eggs on a "hidden" milkweed (Asclepias viridis).

Dobbin, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
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