Date: 04/04/2023

Number: 12

At 10:30am it was 77 degrees F, cloudy, with 77% humidity, and strong gusting wind from the S. The grass was rippling like waves. The monarchs just used that wind to sail around even better! Lots of monarchs all day. Hard to put a number, but estimating at least 12 individuals (seemed like about an equal number of males and females).

There were females actively looking for milkweed and laying eggs. Two females got too close to each other in their search efforts a couple of times. They had a bit of an air tussle (no actual contact) ~ letting each other know whose area this was supposed to be. They then went back to the milkweed search slightly further apart.

At one point as I observed the milkweed seeking females, a male monarch took after one of them. She speedily took him on a an upward, swirling merry chase and eventually got close enough to the woods to lose him in the tree leaves. He went back to sailing around and a bit later I saw her back fluttering low ~ patiently looking for the right milkweed. Thankfully, there are many new fresh milkweed plants emerging (usually a favorite choice).

This is a photo of one of the male monarchs nectaring from a just-opening yellow thistle ~ filling up with nourishing & energizing elixir.

Montgomery, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
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