Date: 04/21/2023

Number: 5

Yesterday, we had rain in the afternoon & thunderstorms throughout the night, including a smattering of dime-sized hail (a little over 2 inches of rain total). Today was mostly cloudy, high temp 75 degrees F, with light breezes from the NW.

I observed several male monarchs flying around throughout the day. One male I saw flying & nectaring was clearly from the new generation, as he had very bright wings.

I also found an elder female with faded, tattered wings resting beneath a cluster of milkweed plants. It seemed to be her time to pass, so quite sad. She blessed us with her presence and mission.

Later, I watched a female monarch laying eggs on slim milkweed (Asclepias linearis) in an upper meadow. In this area both slim milkweed & green milkweed grow near each other. She was only choosing the slim milkweed and laid many eggs. She seemed to be of the new generation with intact, brighter wings.

Because of seeing her, I took a closer look at both kinds of milkweed in that upper meadow and found eggs & small monarch caterpillars on some of the green milkweed. And surprising to me, I found a large monarch caterpillar on a slim milkweed.

In other pasture areas I found both eggs and monarch caterpillars (1st thru 5th instars), though they are becoming scarcer.

This is a photo of the lovely female monarch as she lays an egg on a delicate slim milkweed. Rare for me to see.

Montgomery, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.