Date: 03/16/2025

Number: 8

I observed at least 8 individual monarchs here today ~ 6 females and 2 males. The females were looking for milkweed, egg-laying, resting, and nectaring. The males were flying around and nectaring. At one point a mating pair flew past me in our front yard and then sailed several acres away down to the woodlands along the bottomland creek. This was the first mated pair I saw this season.

It was a sunny day with light breezes, low humidity of 20%, and temps from 65 to 75 degrees F. The monarchs seemed to need to do a lot of sunbathing and nectaring. I followed the individual females as they searched for milkweed. The milkweed (Asclepias viridis) is still emerging, so they sometimes found small sprouts to lay their eggs on.

There are plenty of nectar sources: false garlic flowers, wild blackberry blossoms, Mexican plum tree blossoms, pear tree blossoms, and yellow & pink thistles.

The first monarch larvae were found today on the milkweed plant where I had seen a monarch lay eggs on March 8th. I was checking all day and finally in the afternoon two larvae emerged from their eggs. Some of the other eggs looked near to hatching as well.

It was another day of wonderful close encounters with monarchs. I love when they can find milkweed and have easy nectar sources to enjoy and keep them healthy.

This is a photo of one of the female monarchs as she lays her egg on a young milkweed today.

Montgomery, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
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