Date: 03/22/2023

Number: 7

At 11am it was 73 degrees F, mostly cloudy, with 81% humidity, and gusty winds from the S. I saw one monarch nectaring on a yellow thistle and 3 female monarchs looking for milkweed & egg-laying. As I followed them about I also observed them resting & sunning at times.

Sadly, I saw more of the after-affects of the recent freeze on some of the milkweed (about 20%). Now the most severely freeze-damaged milkweed plants were clearly not going to make it: laying on the ground, crumpled, and with diminished vitality/color. I later collected monarch eggs from some of these plants to effect a bit of a rescue.

In the afternoon I continued to see monarchs flying around, including a large boisterous male who sailed around everywhere, patrolling milkweed and yellow thistle patches ~ watch out bees and butterflies! I also continued to find monarch eggs & larvae on the milkweed (1st-3rd instars).

This is a photo of one of the morning monarchs as she lays an egg on a tiny milkweed sprout.

Montgomery, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
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