Monarch Watch Forums

by **SWAMPMILKWEED** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:10 pm

Actually I took it as a compliment that a female found our waystation still available, here in NW OH....!!!! Looks like I get to keep watering the beds, too! Alas, looking forward to next year already....

by **Teresa** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:57 pm

I know what you mean, i'm already designing new cages in my mind

by **Paul Cherubini** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:19 am

As of Sept. 5 & 6 monarchs by the hundreds or thousands could be found nectaring and clustering among the vast crop monocultures of transgenic corn and soybeans in southwestern Minnesota:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/m ... /monoe.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/m ... /monod.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/m ... /monoc.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/m ... /monob.jpg

Driving down the Interstate 90 freeway I would see towns like Magnolia, Minnesota off in the distance surrounded by crops
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/m ... h/maga.jpg

and know that monarchs could likely be found clustering in residential home yards or along city streets:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/m ... h/magc.jpg

It was also easy to find monarch caterpillars and sometimes newly emerged monarchs along the margins of the transgenic crops:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/m ... /monof.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/m ... /monog.jpg

by **Teresa** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 7:42 pm

Those are awesome pics

I would give anything to catch sight of them in migration.

by **Paul Cherubini** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:09 pm

Teresa, peak numbers of fall migrants should be moving through your area of north-central Ohio between now and Sept. 24 and especially between Sept. 16-20.

by **SWAMPMILKWEED** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:33 pm

Monarchs are picking up. We continue to see more and more after a brief, one-two week pause. Cabbage Whites, Peck's Skippers& Fiery Skippers coming in 1st place in numbers with other sulphurs and some swallowtails 2nd, in this urban area. Sweet Autumn clematis is a HUGE nectar attraction for monarchs & skippers. Although the skippers haven't been picky - asters, butterfly bush, lantana, zinnias and anything else left blooming in the beds! Such fun watching the change from patrolling the milkweeds to searching for nectar....

by **Teresa** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:14 am

I'm really worried about the ones i'm going to have emerging in october

by **Paula** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 7:26 am

GML 079 Female Alive & Feeding 12 September 2005 Hammond, Indiana Latitude 41:37:16N Longitude 87:29:25W. Feeding on Asclepias Curassavica. GML 079 I.D. via macro lens closeup 35mm camera. From what location has GML 079 been released?

by **Teresa** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 7:37 am

Did you find this monarch tagged?

by **Paula** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 7:58 am

GML 079 /or GML079 Tagged Female GML 079 /or GML079 Alive & Feeding all day in sunlight on 12 September 2005 in Hammond, Indiana Latitude 41:37:16N and Longitude 87:29:25W identified via macro lens closeup 35mm camera. GML 079 was feeding on Asclepias Curassavica (milkweed tropical native). Although Curassavica a tropical native, Monarchs love these blooms!!! (in bloom thru migration until early midwest frost) -- (Curassavica grown in large pots, taken indoors before winter & returned outside in spring.) Although I am not an "official Waystation," here, there are also four Butterfly Bushes & Goldenrod for migrating Monarchs -- So I will watch for additional tagged Monarchs & communicate to everyone, & hope my contribution will in some way help save Monarchs for the future. Please contact me if you know: From what location was GML 079 /or GML079 released?

by **ButterflyLady_IL** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 6:44 pm

How exciting to see a tagged butterfly--- that isn't your own "Hanging around"!

Today I found 4 caterpillars on Tropical and Common Milkweed. 3rd & 4th instar. And 2 larger caterpillars on the Zinnia right next to the Tropical. I also found a 3rd instar hanging oddly under a tropical leaf and upon looking closer, found two shield or stink bugs had attacked it. So all 6 cats are now inside in clean cages to protect them. To me these are a late batch.

I have tagged 10-12 wild butterflies three different days this week in just a few minutes (15-20 minute periods) at local prairie plots and my own waystation. They certainly seem to be on the move through western IL.

by **ButterflyLady_IL** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 10:44 am

This is the latest I have had multiple Monarchs around.
Tagged 5 yesterday in a 15 minute time span at a local park where three varieties of Asters are still blooming.
Then 3 more within 5 minutes at our waystation 4 miles west of the park.
Almost all our goldenrod have finished blooming, which is often a gauge for me for the migration. Thankfully the asters are still providing nectar, as are the zinnias, buddleia, salvia, some marigolds, and cosmos. And the tropical milkweek is still blooming!
A cold front is predicted for later this week, and I still have 9 chrysalis....... I hope many folks around will cover their plants so plenty of nectar is still available when they hatch.
Now I'm off to find enough bedsheets to cover our plot before frost hits here.

by **ButterflyLady_IL** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 10:44 am

This is the latest I have had multiple Monarchs around.
Tagged 5 yesterday in a 15 minute time span at a local park where three varieties of Asters are still blooming.
Then 3 more within 5 minutes at our waystation 4 miles west of the park.
Almost all our goldenrod have finished blooming, which is often a gauge for me for the migration. Thankfully the asters are still providing nectar, as are the zinnias, buddleia, salvia, some marigolds, and cosmos. And the tropical milkweek is still blooming!
A cold front is predicted for later this week, and I still have 9 chrysalis....... I hope many folks around will cover their plants so plenty of nectar is still available when they hatch.
Now I'm off to find enough bedsheets to cover our plot before frost hits here.

by **2BFree** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:50 am

Info needed about weather in Ky, Tn, Il. My husband and I are taking a short trip from northern Michigan to southern Indiana this weekend (leaving today). My good nautured husband has agreed we could go further and release some of my late, late monarchs. I have 4 butterflies, several pupa, and one cat. Can anyone give me an idea of the weather in southern Indiana, Kentucky, Tennesee, southern Illinois? Is it warm enough so there would be a chance these would survive? We leave today so help is needed soon. Thanks, 2BFree

by **Paula** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:36 am

Tag #GML 079 Trying to find the kind Human Person who tagged this lovely Monarch found alive feeding during early migration in N.W. Indiana [25 miles southeast of Chicago]. I identified using close-up lens camera after several hours quiet stalking to identify. Monarch spent most of day feeding on South American A.Curassavica milkweed. Anybody know Monarch Tag# GML 079 prior to tagging??? OR have you since seen this GML079 Monarch enroute between, &/or in/near Mexico???

by **MILW** » Thu May 25, 2006 7:40 pm

We've seen 3-4 monarchs in the past two days, not close enough to tell if male or female. My milkweeds are about 18" high already, but no eggs so far!
-Scott

by **froglegs** » Thu May 25, 2006 10:29 pm

Saw my first (earliest ever) Monarch yesterday 5/24. Weather has been
mixed--warm, windy with scattered rain every day, some t-storms.
It landed on a flowering European cranberry bush for a few seconds and took off heading north.

by **spyder954** » Fri May 26, 2006 7:46 pm

Have seen only a few scattered monarchs in the past two weeks, but found about 20 eggs and 11 brand new babies today. Only found them in one area and only on the shorter (6-8 in. plants). Taller plants had none. Earliest ever for me. Extreme N.E. Illinois (Lake County).
I have about 100 potted MWs started. Last year with about half that I had numerous females laying eggs on them. During that dry spell they loved those small well watered plants. As soon as she layed the eggs I'd move the plants into a large screen container. They did great!. Once a spider got in (hid under the lip of one of the pots I'm sure) and got alot of them before I knew he was there. A lesson learned.

by **ngrunde** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:54 pm

Saw two adult females, May 26-May 27. Found 22 eggs on milkweed plants.
Earliest we have ever found eggs. We're about 25 miles west of Chicago.

by **SWAMPMILKWEED** » Sun May 28, 2006 10:54 am

First monarch visit was on Friday 5/26. It took inventory of the plants in bloom then left. Sat 5/27 observed 3 more monarchs - 2 at Kitty Todd Nature Preserve and 1 in West Toledo. I've many milkweeds, Monarch Waystation, but no eggs found. I don't remember seeing monarchs this early ever in NW OH.

by **SWAMPMILKWEED** » Sun May 28, 2006 3:35 pm

Today I found 4 eggs on swamp milkweed at Kitty Todd Nature Preserve. No eggs on any common. These were the same swamp milkweeds I checked yesterday and found no eggs. One adult was sighted today. My total monitoring count was very high both days with Little Wood Satyr's far out pacing any other species.

by **ohiomonarchmama** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:57 pm

You can add the Cleveland area (Bay Village, OH) to the early sightings list. I saw a monarch yesterday (5/31) and did some looking in my garden today and there were eggs on my common milkweed. It isn't even blooming yet, but they found it!

by **dzyg** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:48 am

Wednesday May 24th was my first Monarch sighting here in Central WI. I looked at my milkweed plants then and found lots and lots of eggs! I don't ever recall having cats this early. Interesting to see others who think this is early for them too. I now have 94 cats in containers in the house and about a dozen eggs yet. My milkweed plants are still full of eggs and cats. I have about 140+ milkweeds in a side flowerbed and probably 20-30 other plants on our property and I think the Monarchs have found every one of them.

by **Teresa** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:52 pm

Finding alot of eggs and 1st instars here in central ohio. I've never seen them this early. Woohoo.

by **Sarah Dalton** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:23 pm

Finding scads of eggs in every patch I've checked - they seem to be really abundant this year - Yay!

We just put up the butterfly house at Blendon Woods Metro Park and are furnishing it with plants - first monarchs due out of chrysalis in about two weeks.... Come all and see!

Sarah
Columbus, OH

by **SWAMPMILKWEED** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:33 pm

After last week's 6/21/06 five inches of rain and destructive winds in Toledo OH my milkweed patch was half demolished. Didn't stop the monarchs though! I trimmed down several toppled plants and scanned the leaves - several new eggs since that horrendous storm last week. My waystation took a beating but keeping on ticking

(If common milkweed is cut to the ground after blooming it will re-grow and provide young, tender leaves for the later summer cats....)

by **cgrendy3** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 4:42 pm

Our first caterpillar today--July 12, 2006!! Hi, I'm new here... so forgive me if I don't post correctly... I'll learn the ropes soon enough!

I live in Muncie, Indiana... East Central Indiana... and I've been 'raising' monarchs for three years now. The first year we had only 3-4, but last year after planting a bunch more milkweed, we raised and released 14!

This year I've ordered tags to keep track of our little travelers.... and my five year old son just ran in today yelling 'Mama! I found the first caterpillar!!' And, he sure did! So off we go on our annual butterfly adventure!

We also saw a female flying around the milkweed today.... so, we'll probably have more caterpillars soon! Hopefully we can find and bring the eggs inside too this year.

by **SWAMPMILKWEED** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 6:28 pm

We've had a female(s) consistently hang around the backyard since Sunday. Butterfly milkweed & bush, monarda, coneflowers in full bloom. Maybe a dozen eggs on the swamp milkweed and just as many on the common. Today we suffered another 1 inch of rain in 4 hours. Yeesh. NW OH has never seen this much so quickly in July. Hope the cats have snorkels or something. And to Muncie IN, do it up! Nothing more fun than tagging in September!

by **bflykprs** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:49 pm

Hi all. This is my first post here. We got our waystation cert this year on the northside of Chicago, and I'm happy to say we saw a pair of monarchs mating in the yard this afternoon. I had no idea they stay together so long! A total of 3 monarchs today - which is a lot for us in one day.

by **Clykowski** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 7:54 pm

So far an excellant start this year for raising monarchs. I spent a lot of time in June in Alaska so I didn't start looking for monarchs until July 9th. As of tonight I have 70 eggs or 1st instarts!

by **wpherrmann** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:38 am

Saw first monarchs of the season in Connersville, IN on Sat. July 15. Adults feeding on purple cone flowers. Can't believe how early other people at Monarch Watch have spotted them. I am outside a lot and these are the first I have seen.

by **hannahrose** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:21 am

Jim wrote:Report monarch sightings for the East North Central region of the United States (IN, IL, MI, OH, WI) here.

Hello, I'm new to the site and my children and I are excited that there is a place for us monarch lovers. We live in Chicago IL. My oldest daughter Hannah is 8 years old my son Benjamin 6 and daughter Adeline 3, have been watching monarchs for the past 8 years. This year we have set free 18 monarchs. We have 40 as of right now that are in chrysalis hopefully all will come out
with normal wings. We use to go looking for monarch in forest preserves but now we have them in our own backyard. I planted Milkweed 2 years ago and this year it has really blossomed. The children and I believe the 17 Monarchs we set free this year had came back and layed thier eggs. This is how we have 40 as of right now. There is not a day that we dont have a visit from are monarchs. We just wanted to stop by and say hello and to let you know what a wonderful job and site this is. We will also post from time to time any questions or problems we may come across.
Keep up the great work
P.S. I read some forums about tagging? How do you go about that and is it safe?
Thanks again
Ben, Hannah,Benjamin & Adeline

by **James Price** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:30 am

This is a good year for monarchs in southeastern Wisconsin. There isn't a day that goes by that I do not see at least one adult in the city of Milwaukee or its near western neighbor, Wauwatosa, where we live. Granted, we have several varieties of milkweed on our property, but I've seen many monarch adults in downtown Milwaukee, too. We actually have more eggs than we can collect.

by **Sandwhy** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:15 am

Here in Evanston (just north of Chee-cago) we've been seeing at least 2 Monarchs a day since mid-July. It seems like it took FOREVER for them to "find" us - but now we've seen pairs doing the mating dance as well as females laying eggs everywhere!

by **Marina** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 7:41 pm

Greetings from waystation #527. We are right on the Texas-Mexico border and We've been seeing about one or two monarchs a day for about a week. Nothing prepared me for this afternoon as I went to water my lawn. I saw About fifty monarchs mating and feasting on my butterfly weed. I am thrilled! I sat back and watched them for an hour. I have a large yard with hundreds of milkweed plants. I invited some guests over and drank lemonade while we took in the sights.

by **Sarah Dalton** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:39 pm

Finding MANY eggs and cats on milkweed in Central Ohio - drove up to Loudonville the other day and found SCADS of them. It's a rare milkweed plant there that DOESN'T have eggs or cats or feeding marks on it!!!

We've released 167 of them here in my park so of course, we're chock full here.... but it's not appreciably worse ten miles away at my home.....

Sarah

by **SWAMPMILKWEED** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 4:31 pm

The monarchs are firing up!!! Today there were 6 in my little background waystation at one time. The most I've ever counted together. I managed to tag only 2 of those rascals! They continued to hang around all afternoon nectaring. Every year when the sweet autumn clematis goes into bloom, the monarchs pickup. Also noted were 7 other species which is really good for this urban area - black swallowtail, great spangled frit, Amer painted lady, cabbage, fiery & pecks skippers and a hummingbird moth. I found one 3rd instar on common milkweed and released 2 reared male monarchs. The nor'easter from Hurrican Ernesto is finally gone from the Midwest so the fliers all came out to nectar today. Had a busy day in lepidoptera land..... what fun!

by **ohiomonarchmama** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 3:06 pm

Hi! Just FYI, I have 2 friends that have seen large groups of monarchs resting in trees...on 8/31 in Bay Village, OH (a block from my house and I missed it...bummer!) and on 9/4 in Avon Lake, OH. Both are western suburbs of Cleveland, on the shore of Lake Erie. I think they are travelling across the lake from Canada and resting when they get to shore. I am hoping for them to find my yard next! BTW, what do you call a group of monarchs? (flock?)

by **Sarah Dalton** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 3:36 pm

Tagged 11 nice fresh monarchs over the weekend here in Central Ohio. Still finding the occasional egg in the wild and we even have a pair of breeders still in our tent. Looking forward to a great migration and thinking of going up to Lake Erie this weekend.

by **chris.mcmorris** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:23 pm

This is the first year I've had milk weed in my garden. Many a monarch visited the milkweed (Asclepias Curassavica) over the summer and I also have a butterfly bush (Budelia) growing next to it to help increase the odds of a Monarch laying an egg there.

This weekend I had the most exciting experience when I went to check the milkweed and I found not one but two Monarch caterpillars munching away on the milkweed. The weather has been pretty cool her (Woodstock, IL is about 1/2 hour from the WI border). I'm anxiously waiting and watching the little ones to hopefully see them transform into pupa and then hatch to make their journey south.

Very exciting!

by **Dan** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 4:09 pm

I got home from school today, got out of the car, and saw hundreds of monarchs sitting in the trees outside my house in Central Illinois. We guess its probably a migrating group that just stopped here on their trip. My parents have lived here for about 20 years and neither of them have seen so many monarchs at our house in one spot.

by **Teresa** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:25 pm

I would give anything to see the migration

Pat, i'm pushing 600 released and will tag 150. Makes me wish i'd bought more tags. What a great year

by **terilynn** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 8:56 pm

It was a beautiful jade color with a "metallic" golden line running through it. It was hanging on my back yard gate in Middletown, Ohio. I'd never seen anything like it before, but I knew is was special, so I kept watching it. Today is turned transparent and I saw the most beautiful Monarch butterfly wings inside. I know nothing about Monarchs. How long do I have to wait before the lovely thing comes out? How can I attract more to my yard? I grew up here in Ohio and I've not seen too many here. Some, but not alot. I live downtown, with not alot of green space around, but quite a few older trees.

Any info would be great.

Teri

by **psi_chemie** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 11:34 am

I'd guess it took off by now, Teri! Once you see the color in the wings, it is only hours away. There is a lot of useful information on this site if you look around. You may still be able to find caterpillars depending on where you live. Good luck!

by **Lindabird** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 12:25 am

I've seen several Monarchs in my yard this weekend. I've only seen a few eggs in the last week, and thought they were done laying eggs, BUT today I thought I would look again, and I found 56 new eggs! Do they ever quit laying eggs? I hope it's not cold weather by the time they are ready to be released.

by **FlatRockMonarchwatcher** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:34 pm

This is the first year we have seen this happen in our woods, we had a migration stop over, I guess this is what you would call it. It has been warm here and suddenly it became cool and we saw the butterflies hanging down from one another in the woods and clustered at the tops of our spurce trees for two days. Then today the sun came out and it bacame warmer and they became more active and began moving around and flying away. This is really exciting, I hope this happens more often, it sure has gotten me excited to learn more about this web site and taking part.

by **monarchlady** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:45 pm

welcome flatrockmonarchwatcher - please share where and when you had this incredible experience? Thanks.

by **SWAMPMILKWEED** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:49 pm

We've been having cool nights here in NW OH. Some areas w/frost. Monarch sightings have definitely dropped off. After the weekend, we may see a few more with warmer weather being forecasted. I am not ready to give up Lep season for the year (:

by **monarchlady** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:23 pm

Saw two monarchs October 1st in Waupansee State Park near Manhattan, IL. It was a very warm sunny day. We went for a walk to enjoy the afternoon. Did not expect to see monarchs. Could not get close enough to determine sex. I had read that the major migration in this area should be over by September 15th (something about latitude and position of the sun). Hope it is not too late for them to head south and catch up with the rest!

by **ohiomonarchmama** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:38 pm

Surprise, surprise! I saw a monarch in my warm, sunny garden today (on my butterfly bush, of course)...I had 2 tags left, so he is wearing one now! I hope he makes it to Mexico with this late start!

Monarch Watch Forums

Previous Sightings - 2004 to 2008

southern Minnesota sightings

Changes

GML 079 and GML079

Still have adults around

Still have adults around

Weather Info Needed!

Tag# GML 079

Monarchs in Wisconsin

First Monarch of season Chicago 5/24/06

Eggs and new hatch cats. Illinois

Monarch Sighting-Chicago

Eggs found

More eggs

Monarchs mating in the backyard!

Good start

first sighting

Re: USA - East North Central (IN, IL, MI, OH, WI)

Monarchs all over Milwaukee

They're Here!!!

Gonna be INUNDATED!

Its picking up!!

OH migration sightings

Two Monarch Caterpillars in Illinois

First time ever, possibly the last time

I was watching this chrysallis.....

migration

migration - monarch sightings

Cool nights

Late sighting

Monarch in my garden today, west of Cleveland

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