Monarch Season

[kat_langan]

Its still quite cold here in Michigan...chilly rather than super cold. I have checked all my way stations and I still don't see Milkweed anywhere, nor have I seen any monarchs around much. I'm hoping when it warms up things start blooming and the monarchs start appearing! Can't wait to start rearing!

[Paul Cherubini]

Three month outlook is for normal temps in Michigan and below normal in Minnesota and North Dakota
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/p ... php?lead=1

[Monarch MaMa]

I first found 7 eggs on a hilltop adjacent to my home on 5/27; they hatched on 5/29 except for 1. The next search found a few more eggs & one each 2nd instar and 3rd instar. The golf course in Clarkston gave up 2 more cats. Another search a few days later (6/5) found 3 eggs. Today i found 2 more eggs between Fenton & Holly.

All were found in northern Oakland County between Milford, Fenton, Holly, Davisburg & Clarkston. The two largest cats are in 5th instar and the milkweed blooms are turning pink in some locations! Looks like a banner year for our flutterbies }i{

-Debbie, Davisburg
ps - have also gathered a big poplar sphinx moth that laid 50 eggs, polyphemus moth, Luna moth (enjoyed showing little nieces & nephew that one) and a baltimore checkerspot chrysalis found on 5/31. It hatched on 6/2 - see pic below

[Mona Miller]

I've been working on a reintroduction of those at a local park. I released 110 adults and put over 350 caterpillars into the back meadow. They laid so many eggs last year that they wintered over again this spring. Another banner year for my conservation project. Those are Baltimore Checkerspots, but I don't know your subspecies.