the last of my monarchs just hatched yesterday. It took about 17 days, probably because it did get cold down here. I was hoping he'd wait another day or two so that it would be a little warmer. We put him outside yesterday afternoon and he was still there when we got back from the Superbowl party. So we took him back inside and put him in the hatchery until this morning. He was flying all over in there this morning--I'd put it in the sun so he could warm up. I watched him fly up over the house heading southwest. I was hoping he'd stay a bit so I could take his picture. I did get a few shots of him as we tried to release him yesterday, but the film's not developed yet. I do know for sure it was a he. There were two black spots on his hind wings. Check the FL Monarch web site out: http://www.adver-net.com/monpics.html Once you know what to look for, it's much easier to tell. I will hopefully post some pictures of this handsome fellow tomorrow.
He hatched!
Oh wow! Isn't that fun and I am glad to know about the male/female difference! Can't wait to see the pics.
Last one?? Have to go look for more eggs! I only have 2 cats...1 disappeared and I haven't found anymore outside. Are you getting more butterflies these days? I've had a bunch show up lately. I got some Lantana montevidensis recently, what a pretty little lantana. I had them inside because of the freezes and only got them back out yesterday but within 5 minutes a Zebra Long Wing had found one of them!! I've read this is a native Lantana (and it's sold as such) but Dick Wunderlin's site, Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants, say not. Do you know?
The last of the three caterpillars I rescued from the cold snap. I haven't seen the other ones that were outside on the milkweeds when the hard freezes hit. I don't know if they made it or not. I've started to see a few more butterflies again. Yesterday I saw a Fiery Skipper for the first time :)
On the L. montevidensis...it isn't a native one but it's also not an invasive one. It's native to S. America according to everything I have found. I've been trying L. montevidensis in my b'fly garden, but I"m not very impressed with it. The b'flies *much* prefer the porterweed and pentas to this plant. L. camara was as good pentas--maybe even better--as a nectar source, but it's a Category I Exotic Invasive plant (very, very bad). My L. montevidensis are in the ground and I didn't cover them in the hard freezes but they are still blooming. The leaves are discolored from the cold, but the plants seem fine.
The FL native Lantanas are white/cream to bright yellow in color. There are 2 of them: L. involucrata and L. depressa.
Yeah, I'm starting to yank out the L camara...sad because the bf's do love it. I think it's probably the biggest draw in the yard, maybe because they are the biggest flowering plants I have. I really want to plant more nectars before all the lantana is gone. I'm really trying to work towards more natives in the yard. I'm heading for a neighborhood nursery this weekend with a BIG list. If you have any suggestions please feel free to give them!