Monday, August 18, 2014

Monarch Time, Finally!

We hosted a few monarchs early in the season, but now we are seeing them daily. Woo hoo! There are many new young caterpillars (2nd and 3rd instar) on our new common milkweed and we found this chrysalis on a head of our cabbage! Thanks to Steve for observing it before it was tossed in the compost pile.




As I type, this chrysalis is starting to turn darker and giving hints of the adult monarch's coloration. Soon we will have another adult to roam our gardens, nectar on flowers, perhaps lay a few eggs or start to head south!

If you are in need of milkweed seed for your own place here are some options.

Save Our Monarch Foundation

Monarch Watch

Xerces Society

We are also planning to supply seed and plugs in 2015.

3 comments:

  1. Awesome!! Good eye to see that-- the color match is almost perfect!

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  2. Hey, Jennifer and Steve, cool find. Just want to caution you about your words, laying eggs and heading south do not happen (as far as I know, which isn't much). Either lay eggs OR head south, wait through the winter, head north, then lay eggs. Did that make sense?

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    Replies
    1. Hey Katie! Thanks for the catch! Hope you are enjoying a great late summer in CA. :)

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