Butterflies

[BrentD]

Yes it is and now we have a hail storm bearing down on us. Happens every year, the eggs never get a chance.

Check after the storm. The eggs might still be there. At my place the eggs disappear after 3-4 days and I don't know why.

 

[Brauee20]

While not as pretty as Wytex pictures, my 3 year old and I were able to observe a monarch emerging this morning.

My mother-in-law is huge into the native grasses and flowers and has redone our flower beds. Our one clump of milkweed had 42 caterpillars at one point. We found a chrysalis after a couple hours of searching, placed it into a container and monitored and adjusted temp and humidity for 12 days. We'll be cutting it loose here in a bit once it's wings have fully dried. Seems to be completely healthy and it's proboscis is not split.

 

[NEWHunter]

Kids and I, 7 and 5, brought a monarch caterpillar home a week ago and as of yesterday we have a chrysalis. They are excited to watch it emerge and release it. Those little insects are amazing.

Saw a cloud of them cross Lake Michigan almost 20 years ago. They stopped to rest for bit and the trees looked like their wintering grounds in Mexico. I hope they don’t meet the same fate as the passenger pigeon.

 

[wytex]

Very cool. keep us updated !

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

I have a wildlife area where I've let the milkweed grow because of the monarch. Lots of different insects use it but I've never seen a monarch on the milkweed. Must be out of the flyway?

 

[wytex]

Had a monarch back earlier in summer. Found a caterpillar today, 1st for us.
Also has this tattered monarch showed up last week, 1st we've had this late in Aug.

 

[Jwill]

Nice sized patch of milkweed near the yard draws them in.

 

[Gellar]

Check after the storm. The eggs might still be there. At my place the eggs disappear after 3-4 days and I don't know why.

That’s how long they take to hatch. 4 days incubation. Roughly a month as A caterpillar and 14 days in chrysalis. 5 generations of monarchs in Iowa each year, the monarchs soon will begin to migrate to Mexico.

 

[NEW PA MT MN]

My dad bought our farm in 73. In October 2019 I was replacing shackles on my truck using a torch and scooted the creeper out the door for some fresh air and while laying there on my back looking up in the sky I saw something small fly by. Then another and another.The roof is 39 ft to the peak.
Took a picture with my phone and zoomed in and it was a Butterfly.
They were all headed the same direction.
I got up and looked around and they were all around some stopping to land on the clover.
I don't know if they come thru here every year but promised myself to check next year.2020.
I forgot.
Sometimes you have to stop and watch the .

 

[Bambistew]

I ran across this article a few weeks ago. As always its hard to say one way or the other, but its interesting to note how few showed up this year for whatever reason, guessing the fires and drought.

Monarch butterfly population moves closer to extinction

The number of western monarch butterflies wintering along the California coast has plummeted precipitously to a record low, putting the orange-and-black insects closer to extinction, researchers announced Tuesday.

phys.org

 

[wytex]

Milkweed is opening and the monarchs are showing up.

 

[RobertD]

Lots of different pollinators hang around my girlfriend's zinnia garden. This is the only photo I have handy, but I'll see if I can get some more if the sun ever comes back out.

 

[NEWHunter]

Was surprised to find these two on Saturday. On Sunday morning I watched helplessly as a couple of birds swooped in and got them both. Ruined my day.

 

[NEW PA MT MN]

I was walking under our black walnut trees and saw this creature.
Not a butterfly but it will become moth.

 

[carlibball20]

Swallowtails have arrived, waiting on a monarch or two , hopefully.

View attachment 84498View attachment 84499View attachment 84500

Those are lovely

 

[KipCarson]

I usually don’t pay much attention to them but over the last month I think I have seen more monarchs passing through my part of Northwest Louisiana than I have in my life. But that may just be simply because for once I am actually paying attention to them or something LOL

 

[Khunter]

This one landed on my hand while elk hunting. butterfly or random bug?

 

[Hydrophilic]

Milkweed tussock moth

 

[Hydrophilic]

Michigan

 

[nidahunter]