Mid Summer Southern Oregon Update

[mmmatthew]

Last week I saw one single monarch flying in the back yard. First one this year! Not a single egg in the back yard, however I found 2 tiny caterpillars about a day old. And finally, about a block from the back yard, I found 9 eggs and tiny etching marks on the milkweed leaves. Yay!

[mmmatthew]

Saw a single monarch flying in northern Medford on 4th of July. Could not determine if male or female. Lots of fresh milkweed this week, but, no eggs yet !

[Paul Cherubini]

The monarchs in northern California are substantially more abundant this year so I think you will see even more monarch activity in late July and early August when alot of our California butterflies that are currently in the caterpillar and chrysalid stage emerge and wander into Oregon.

I saw this caterpillar yesturday on speciosa milkweed about 50 miles east of Sacramento at about 1,900 feet elevation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWlTz0cKwfg

And today I saw this adult patrolling fascicularis milkweed about 20 miles east of Sacramento at about 900 feet elevation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OntA3OhJhzw