New Here But Determined

[monarchluver2010]

Hello everyone,

I just covered a butterfly release for my company for a local hospice center, when i was a child i had fun raising monarch butterflies with my school, alas as i got older things like that didnt seem so special anymore, but today after watching over 300 of them take to the skies it made me want to do it again.

For the past couple of years i have had no luck finding the monarchs, today i went searching the milkweed plants near my house, i have uploaded a few photos hoping someone can pinpoint whether these are the "eggs" i am looking for, and of course any help in locating such eggs would be greatly appreciated!

[Mona Miller]

First, where are you? In my area, we aren't seeing many Monarchs. None of those contain pictures of Monarch eggs. I think you have snails and assassin bug eggs.

http://www.butterflygardeningandconserv ... onarch.php
This website has a good picture.

Sometimes you will find a small white bead, it may be milkweed sap. The Monarch egg is a creamy white.

Hang in there. You'll get the hang of it.

[monarchluver2010]

FIrst thanks for the reply

second EWWW i do not want to raise any of those

third i am in Central Maine, and i have NEVER seen anything like what you showed me in those photos, is it too late already for eggs, and if not am i looking in the right place.

Maybe a better question is the photos i have shown, are they ALSO found on the leaves where monarch eggs can be located,

maybe i am looking on the wrong plant (not really funny but a possibility)

thanks all

[Mona Miller]

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarc ... Facts.html
A Look at the Life of a Monarch Caterpillar

http://www.nebraskawildlife.org/ww-how% ... 20eggs.htm
"To find an egg, look for common milkweed plants and check the underside of the leaves, starting at the top of the plant and moving down. Females try to lay eggs on new, young plants, so look especially for those. However, eggs have been found on old plants, too, so check them all.
Eggs are the size of a pinhead, cream colored and oval shaped, and are noticeable sticking out on the underside of the leaf. The eggs have ridges that are visible through a magnifier, so you can verify what you have found. Strip the leaf off the plant; the plant will re-grow from that spot...."

http://www.raisingbutterflies.org/the-monarch/
This website has video and incredible pictures.

When I went out looking on Saturday this week, I looked at milkweed that look tender. I ended up cutting back some of the milkweed so that it would regrow for those Monarchs laying in the fall. The cold weather pushes them north and some of them are still gravid (pregnant). I looked over the leaves for eggs and tiny larvae. I used 2.50 magnification glasses and those help to see those very tiny caterpillars.

[monarchluver2010]

slightly frustrated

I have searched and SEARCHED all milkweed plants in my area, i go blackberry picking twice a week and still have not seen caterpillars, eggs, or even crysaliss,

I know im doing something wrong, i am hoping it is not to late to catch one of these buggers, let me know if anyone has any suggestions or advice!

[Mona Miller]

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2341
Go early.

Connect with other butterfly people in your area.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/butterfly/
I'm on the garden web, butterfly forum, too.

http://www.colby.edu/MES/
MAINE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY (MES)
Pat Durkin is a member of the Washington Area Butterfly Club. Maybe she doesn't live too far from you. Her email is on the MES front page.

http://www.xerces.org/karner-blue/
Plant some Lupine for the Karner Blue.
While waiting for Monarchs, I raise other butterflies.

http://www.maineaudubon.org/search_resu ... Search#941
I searched on "butterflies" on the Maine Audubon website.
http://www.maineaudubon.org/nature/naturalist.shtml
2nd Week Monarch butterflies migrate south - look for chrysalises under fallen logs. Milkweed pods open. Mushrooms appear after rains.

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/Sightings_All.html
Go on the Journey North website and see if other people in Maine are seeing butterflies, eggs, larvae..

[monarchluver2010]

very helpful

went out at 10 pm tonight but all i saw were flys and assasin bugs, however munching is evident on the milkweed leaves

I will send an email to pat thanks again!

[Mona Miller]

Get up a bit earlier, probably not as early as Chip, but before the predators get out. I was amazed to see the 3rd instar caterpillar up at the top of the milkweed eating at 7 AM this morning. It's not easy setting the alarm and waking up half asleep. But, it is worth it to get the caterpillars before the birds and wasp find them. Good luck! Next one that flies through, I'll tell them to head to Maine. Yes, I do talk to the butterflies and other creatures.

[monarchluver2010]

well sounds good, only issue is its raining tonight, dont know if that will effect anything

let me know

[Mona Miller]

Milkweeds. Your photos look like common milkweed. Maine has several species.
http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/guide/index.htm
Photo Guide (check the rest out). These three are the most common:

http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/guide/syriac.htm
Common Milkweed

http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/guide/incar.htm
Swamp Milkweed

http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/guide/tubero.htm
Butterfly Weed

[Mona Miller]

Chip said after a cool night and cool morning that Monarch caterpillars linger longer. Did you read the post about his observation? Also, predators come out later, too.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2341#p11432
Tips from Chip on Finding Larvae

[monarchluver2010]

none of those plants looked like the ones im looking on

this link shows the ones i see

http://www.aswp.org/images/todd_almanac ... itchie.jpg

am i even looking on the right plant, oh i will be so goofed if i am not

and what about the rain, a cool morning it will be tonight since we had rain?

[dandjtaylor]

You have the right plant, common milkweed. Just make sure that they are healthy. Monarchs search out painstakingly for the freshest leaves and healthiest plants to support a hungry caterpillar.

I find 90% of my eggs on new greens at the top or where a leave was broken off and a new stem is growing, or on new shoots coming out of the ground that are less than 12 inches.

250 monarchs released so far...another 150 in process...

[Mona Miller]

http://www.aswp.org/images/todd_almanac ... itchie.jpg
am i even looking on the right plant, oh i will be so goofed if i am not
and what about the rain, a cool morning it will be tonight since we had rain?

That's the right plant, but it has seed pods on it instead of blooms. They will use the leaves of that plant. They lay on the bottom of the leaf not the top. They do this so that their babies are protected from the rain. If you notice tiny round circles in the leaves that is the sign that a larvae has been there.

First, they eat their egg shells, then they eat a nice round hole in the leaf. After that they may travel to the top tender leaves of the plant and eat a few leaves there.

http://www.mymonarchguide.com/2007/05/r ... llars.html
See the egg on the bottom of the leaf. The tiny caterpillars are whitish, not green with stripes and very small. I have to put on my reading glasses to see them.

http://www.raisingbutterflies.org/the-monarch/
Lots of good pictures here. This website shows pictures of what the chew marks look like after the tiny caterpillar is finished with the leaf.
http://utahbutterflies.ning.com/video/f ... terpillars
This is a video where they are showing how to look for Monarchs.