whooo hooo
a few more opened after I took these pics
Look what we've got this morning !
in another corner
That's a beautiful sight mj !!! I've got 3 who eclosed this morning I got to spend about 2 hours with the first 2. The third one is still drying. I found it on the floor with ants starting to swarm it but rescued and is is a branch drying up. I'm worried because the right hindwing is folded. Will she be able to flight??
Here she is
If the wing drys folded, then it will most likely stay folded and she probably won't be able to fly well if at all.
I have a monarch ready to emerge today from its chrysalis. I don't have many flowers blooming now. I do have a butterfly bush blooming. Will the monarch nectar on it or are they just partial to milkweed???
hemlady, they will nectar on it, and many other plants as well, but the more you have blooming right in your yard, the longer they stay around.
Thanks!!!!
mjsponies,
What a wonderful set up you have there!!! Great pics :D
We have been having about triple the # of Monarchs here then we had last year...shocking since experts believed that 1/4th-1/2 of the Monarchs perished during all the winter storms in Mexico ...destroying huge populations of them. so, we were expecting to see a few at best this year for the entire season.
However, we have been averagng between 3-5 almost daily here..about 4-5 days of 7 on a weekly basis this entire month!
susan, I don't know what happened this year but I'm thrilled. Last year we didn't have many till very late.....I raised about 30 I guess. This year we've released triple that and I haven't even brought them all in !
We did wage war on the wasps last year tho.......and not nearly so many of them this year and I'm wondering if that had something to do with it. I've probably go another 30 + out there on the "backup' plants now.......and they have hung around after eclosing ! TONS of nectar and host plants ( well the milkweed is getting sparse I may have to go raid a friend of mine's patch).
And more coming ! This gal was laying eggs this morning........
Awwww...bless her heart!
Here's a pic of one of our last mating pairs flying around with each other. when they finally got "together" they hung in our neighbor's tree about 10' up in the air. Here's a pic of them flying together....
Did your injured wing monarch fly Roly?
Hemlady....They won't nectar at first. They rest from the ordeal and get warmth from the sun, then will nectar and seek shelter before nightfall. Milkweed does provide nectar, but it's main purpose is for hosting the caterpillars.
Susan I am so glad to hear of the numbers of Monarchs, hopefully it will breath new life in the species.
Oh almost forgot mjs....super monarch eclosing group!! wtg!!
This message was edited Jul 31, 2010 7:15 AM
Thanks Sheila. We had a boy!!! Our monarch chrysalis hatched and I put him on the butterfly bush after his wings were all normal looking. He stayed there for about an hour and then left.
Sheila she did fly. It stayed inside the house overnight the day after she eclosed and the next morning when I took her out she took off with no problems.
WONDERFUL
Roly...Great! It depends on just where the wings are crimped I think.
Hem....congrats are in order.
Thanks Sheila!!!
I'm just thrilled at the number's we're getting this year.......last year so dismal. And they are staying ! I can count at LEAST 8-10 Monarchs in the yard each day, and female's laying egg's. AND, we got our National Wildlife Federation recognition today, and are waiting for another certification to come thru that's a bit more complicated...( aerial survey's , pics and diagrams of property etc.)
Good for you to get certified! wtg!