First Monarch Sighting in 2010 - Thunder Bay

[JoAnn]

Just watched the first Monarch of this year in my yard. What a beauty! It spent quite awhile in my lilac trees and flying around the back yard. I live in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

[RozieMozie]

thats great! ... down here just north of Toronto, i've not seen any butterflies or found any eggs or cats :(

[JoAnn]

We had a very mild winter this year so all vegetation is ahead of schedule. So too are the butterflies it would seem. I have had the cabbage white, Viceroy's, a very small one (black with a white strip on its wings) and now a Monarch. A large butterfly, the size of a Monarch, flew overhead today but the sun was too bright to see its colours. Somehow I thought it might be a White Admiral. About a week ago my milkweed plants had what I thought were a lot of eggs. A few remain but most have now disappeared. A few of the leaves are chewed but I cannot see any cats. So the craziness begins - checking the milkweed plants several times a day. The last couple of years we had very few Monarchs so hopefully that will change this year. Good luck to you in your area this year. JoAnn

[RozieMozie]

im glad to hear things are in full swing for you ... at least i know they are out there somewhere! ... im just going to have to be patient while i wait for them to find my corner of the world ... oh and the black ones with orange and white one their wings are black admirals ... we have lots of them too along with the white cabbage which we never seem to have a shortage of

[JoAnn]

Well - I indeed have cats on my plants now as does my brother. Mine are only about 1/2" so far plus I still have some eggs on the plants. They are early this year. Quite a few of my plants died last winter so hopefully I will have enough milkweed to feed them. My brother and sister have several plants but my brother, so far, has too many cats to count so hopefully he will have enough milkweed for all of his. (I know what my sister is going to do as soon as she comes home from work!) Good luck to everyone else this year. We were so disappointed the past two summers but this year looks very promising.

[Mona Miller]

I'm disappointed this year. So far, absolutely nothing. Glad you are there for the Monarchs.

[JoAnn]

I know how you feel as the past two summers were very poor for any Monarchs, eggs and cats. That is why we are so excited this year. My sister also has cats but smaller than mine. My brother lives in the country and my sister and I in the city so we certainly are in different neighbourhoods so our area certainly has them. Hopefully one of these days you will be happily surprised too. Good luck.

[dannus plex]

Sighted 3 ( one rather pale) at a site containing about 400 milkweed plants which I have monitored for the last 3 years. No eggs or cats. Just north of Lake Erie. With such a low population this year, I have doubts of using all 300 tags which I have ordered. I am pleased to hear of sightings in Thunder Bay.

[JoAnn]

I will try checking with others in my area to see how they are doing. My brother counted 40 cats on his plants (I think he has about 9 plants). Of course, there are always those we can't see. I have 8 on one plant and one on another - that I can see. I lost several plants this winter but have some seedlings. My sister also has some cats but hers are very tiny yet so hard to see. Good luck in your area. I am sure you will be rewarded soon. I just wish the Monarchs would spend time in my yard as others do.

[Nicole34]

thats great! ... down here just north of Toronto, i've not seen any butterflies or found any eggs or cats :(
Thanks...

_________________________
http://getridofacneformula.com/best-way ... id-of-acne

[JoAnn]

Hi: I just released 6 Monarchs this morning. They leave my yard never to return. I live near St. Pat's High School. Perhaps it was one of mine although another lady raises them on Catherine Street. Actually, there are quite a few people raising them in the City. They are beautiful aren't they? Are your lilacs still blooming?

[Mona Miller]

If you in latitude 47, your migration is starting. Females normally don't stay in an area too long during the breeding season, but males will take up territory if there are host and nectar sources--until they die.

No lilacs blooming, but I do have butterfly bush blooming. My latitude is 38.