Date: 07/29/2023

I checked two stands of milkweed. A few feet apart, within the same block so I’m counting it as one location for #MonarchBlitz

90+degrees
Approx 1:30 pm
Sunny
Air quality is listed as moderate

Private garden along the sidewalk:
11 plants, all Asclepias Syriaca. Of 11, 4 were fresh and young, fresh greenery and about 18 inches in height. The other 7 were 3-4 feet tall, markedly “old.” Leaves are showing black throughout 7 older plants. Seed pods are full but not yet dry. Only a few leaves showing nibbles at tips or tiny holes in middle of leaf. Nibbles and holes are consistent with early instar caterpillars. No sign of late instar larval activity. Ants of all sizes, one fly, and three milkweed beetles were present.
Aphids clustered on about 5 pods making them appear yellow. One younger plant without pods had a cluster of aphids covering its small, leafy, center.


Elementary school garden: many many milkweed plants. All Asclepias Syriaca. All 2-5 feet in height. Many many with seed pods already full and still fresh. No aphids seen here. Found one plant that had one monarch butterfly egg. Some had holes consistent with first instar caterpillars. The lack of holes in leaves is striking considering there are pollinator plants nearby and a lot of milkweed. Two milkweed beetles observed on a plant but no other insect activity.

Garden is marked as an organic garden;
no pesticide use.

Philadelphia, PA

Latitude: 40 Longitude: -75.2

Observed by: Ann
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