1 Adult Monarch on 3/13/10

[sbannister]

I did not see any this winter due to El Nino colder than normal conditions. Usually we have them year round.

[sbannister]

I have not seen another adult since my last post on 3/13. My milkweed is large enough for cats now, but no eggs in sight. I hope some come here from TX!!!

[sbannister]

Still no Monarchs, eggs or larvae! I only saw the one and he flew north. I have Black , Giant and Spicbush Swallowtails, Cabbage Whites, but no Monarchs. I am really worried about them. I hope some of the newly emerging adults in TX will fly this way soon because it looks like the migration bypassed this area. My garden journal from last year shows I had cats all over my outdoor plants at this time. I guess if worse comes to worse, I will order some eggs from Monarch Watch.

[Paul Cherubini]

A similar worrisome situation occurred in April 1996. Here is Dr. Lincoln Brower's April 22, 1996 report about the a spot in northern Florida where he describes a "dismal monarch return this spring" and says "we could be in for a precipitously low fall migration."
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/www/critt ... 15589.html

Then based on a June 18, 1996 census in Wisconsin, Dr. Brower told a reporter: "the fall migration may be down by as much as 80%"
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/www/critt ... 55578.html

Exactly the opposite happened. The fall migration of 1996 was spectacular almost beyond belief. Here is how Dr. Chip Taylor described it in his 1996 Season Summary:

"Best in 5 years? Best in 10 years? Best in 20 years? In a word, the fall migration was AWESOME!!! This was certainly the most spectacular migration in the five year history of Monarch Watch, and several long time Monarch observers suggested this was the best migration in 20 years."

[sbannister]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, Paul. I hope that scenario is what is going to happen this year. Either way, I am preparing by planting more milkweed and nectar plants to what I already have while I wait. I'm not giving up!

[Patti]

Did the Monarchs finally show up? Mine were also very late in coming but did appear mid April, over a month late. I posted my experience in the SE section. Hope yours have arrived.

[sbannister]

I'm sorry to say it but, no, they have not. I was outside most of Saturday and Sunday and did not see any, plus I check my milkweed daily and haven't found any eggs. I am rearing some black and spicebush swallowtails but realy miss my Monarchs! I'm putting in more nectar plants and I know they'll come eventually.

[sbannister]

Hooray! Guess what!! I saw a beautiful adult Monarch yesterday - but not in my yard. She was in a plant nursery within 5 miles of ny home. I asked the man who works there how long he had been seeing them and he said just in the past 2-3 days! So I am encouraged. You know what - my most popular (to butterflies, that is) nectar plants - Lantana, Buddleia, and Sunflowers are not in bloom yet. I have a lot of other flowers but those are the real magnets so that may be part of my problem. They will bloom soon.

I released two beautiful Spicebush Swallowtails this morning, my first of the year. So I can't complain too much. I hope everyone is enjoying Spring!

[Paul Cherubini]

Milkweed in bloom is also a magnet. I used to plant nothing but milkweed and buddleia to get the most monarch action, but after a few years the european paper wasp took over my yard and indeed the whole neighborhood, making it near impossible for any monarch caterpillars to survive (except in early - mid Spring when the wasps are not active)[attachment=0]paperwasp.jpg[/attachment]

[sbannister]

Update - I now have seen at least 2 adults in my yard (as of Sat. 5/29/10) and have eggs on my milkweed. This is before I released the ones I raised from the plants I got at the nursery that had tiny cats. I mean, these just showed up! Finally! Hooray!

[Mona Miller]

http://www.enasco.com/product/SB43258J
I carry one of these small nets around with me when I am in the yard. I tuck it in my belt. I've at least put a dent in the European wasp population--net, flip, stomp. I found one of the nest this year. It was on one of my Chaste trees. Not much survives when they live in a yard.

[sbannister]

Now I have seen another female and she laid eggs yesterday, so I suppose she is not a migratory one. She looked very "fresh" and it is too early for the migratory ones down here anyway.

BTW, I have so many gulf frittilarie 'flys with cats of all sizes and many eggs that I am worried that they may defoliate my passion vine, which used to cover 2/3s of my back fence. For that reason, I am leaving the predators alone for now.

I will take in the Monarch eggs.

[Mona Miller]

Monarchs can be nomadic in LA, if you don't get a killing frost. They will reproduce year round.