Late Spring Northern California Report

[Paul Cherubini]

In recent days I've checked dozens of speciosa, fasicularis and cordifolia milkweed patches in the Sierra foothills east of Sacramento, Calif. and around around Davis, California (west of Sacramento) looking for signs of monarchs, eggs or caterpillars:

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/4ALC/davis.jpg
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87 ... merset.jpg

Unfortunately, just like last year at this time, I didn't see a single monarch nor any eggs or caterpillars. So just like last year, it appears California and the other western States are headed for the 11th consecutive year of very low western monarch numbers.

Paul Cherubini
El Dorado, Calif.