Date: 03/22/2025

Number: 12

At 12noon to 1:15pm I went out checking the pastures. It was mostly sunny, 73 degrees F, with 62% humidity, and wind 11mph from the S. I saw at least 12 individual monarchs with an equal mix of males and females. The females were looking for milkweed, egg-laying, and sometimes nectaring on wildflowers (false garlic flowers, thistles, and blackberry blossoms). The males were nectaring and flying around patrolling.

I saw two mated pairs today. One I saw in the grass soon after the male captured the female. The other was a mated pair that sailed past me in the late afternoon and flew to the nearby woods.

Twice when I was closely following a female monarch as she fluttered slowly over milkweed areas, a male lay hidden in the grass and then attempted a capture. In both cases (at very different locations) the two swirled upward and then through the branches of trees. In each of these observed cases, the female eluded the male. (I have seen this tactic in past years, but it is always interesting to observe.)

The main native milkweed here (Asclepias viridis) is still in the emerging phase. There are some usual "milkweed patches" that are just now starting to show their first sprouts. It is sad to see the damage done by the freeze a night ago, but it is hopeful to see the new fresh growth.

This is a photo of one of the beautiful monarchs as she lays her egg on a young emerging milkweed today
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Montgomery, TX

Latitude: 30.4 Longitude: -95.8

Observed by: Kathy
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