Monarchs in the North Shore, MA!

[dandjtaylor]

Well, although my wife "thinks she saw" a monarch last week, the proof is here today! At a local cemetary in Salem, MA, there is a large patch of common milkweed that I occasionally check for eggs and cats. Well this morning, I found and retrieved 15 eggs on several of the newer shoots. They are now safe and sound in my shed where we hatch and rear the cats. I have also reported this to journeynorth.org

I just saw a black swallowtail ovipositing on a couple of our dill last evening and we have cabbage white cats on the cabbages.

Now we need monarchs in our butterfly garden on our 75 milkweed plants!

Waystation #2638 is open for the season!

[nicewitch]

Congrats on your 'babies-to-be'! An exciting start to the new season. I'm in Southern Ontario, about 15 miles from Niagara Falls, and collected 31 eggs just yesterday from a small milkweed patch in my neighbourhood. I hadn't expected anything this early, just checked the patch on a whim.

[dandjtaylor]

Thanks! We went back yesterday to do a more thoruogh search and retrieved another 10 for a total of 25! All very fresh looking so it may be a few days since the nights are still a bit chilly.

Dwayne

[dandjtaylor]

Well! 14 hatched and all but one appear in the process or really close (dark gray). Looking at the JourneyNorth Map, we may have the first releases this year up here in New England.

[nicewitch]

All 31 of mine hatched on Monday, and I found one more egg on the same patch - it's hatching as I write. I got this batch off the plants just in time, it seems - a visit to the patch yesterday showed that, sadly, it has been sprayed to kill it off. The new hatchlings are dining on fresh leaves from along the Lake Ontario shore. We can 'race' to see which of us gets the earliest release LOL.

[dandjtaylor]

Stripes abound as a few are already 2nd instars with teeny tine bumps on their head. I will post pic's when they become 3rd instars.

With all of the rain this week, I bet the ladies will be out in full force this weekend looking to deposit some eggs. Hopefully, they'll hit our garden. 75 milkweeds all with beautiful untouched foliage await. A few of the swamp MW are already beginning to blossom!

The race is ON.

Dwayne, Waystation #2638
(pic's of the waystation in the registry as soon as it goes into full bloom, maybe a couple more weeks)

[drexel.n@gmail]

Dwayne - the photos you already have posted are amazing! You are a great photographer - or is it the camera? =) Kudos!! Have you posted any info on your rearing box? I'm intrigued!

Thanks for sharing!

Nancy
Cincinnati, Ohio
Waystation 3037

[nicewitch]

Tried to post on Journey North, but kept getting 'server error'. Will try again soon.

29 of my original 32 hatchlings are doing well, most at 2nd instar. Of the three fatalities, 2 hatchlings died their first day, the other the second day - unsure of cause(s). Hate it when that happens.

I, too, would be interested in hearing about your rearing set-up. Although it's time-consuming, I've found the greatest success in rearing in individual containers (large clear plastic glasses, paper towel rubber-banded over the top, fresh leaves daily, or more often as needed). This year, also prepping a predator-free screen house to rear on live plants outside. Going to check out the Rearing forum for info, too.

[dandjtaylor]

Well, only 14 survivors here. Most died within 3 days. A few were canibalized, a few just didn't eat, and a couple escaped. The rest are now 3rd instars. Also, saw our first actual Monarch fly through our yard yesterday! Fianally!

Black swallowtails are now in 2nd instar. They seem to grow slower than the monarchs. First year for those.

Dwayne

[dandjtaylor]

Nancy

Thanks on the photo comments. I use a very basic Fuji S5700, but in the right hands it can take pretty good shots.

As for rearing, last year as a rookie, I learned a great deal, but also have several books, including The Last Monarch, a pretty good educational book.

By the way, I grew up in Cincy and went to UC before moving up to Massachusetts. My family are still there in Fairfield.

I can offer advice from my rearing experiences. I have started also rearing Black swallowtails, Great Spangled Frit's, Cabbage Whites, and American Ladies. So far, they are all pretty similar. Growth rates are varied though.

Dwayne

[dandjtaylor]

Nancy

Didn't answer your last part of the question:

I rear babies in the following order
-Eggs in Glad Sandwich Containers up til second instar.
-2nd Instar on, they are single in clear plastic paint can liners with mesh over the top. Every day, fresh milkweed is provided out of my 75+ plants. They are kept in my shed.
-They "J" from the mesh at which time, I take the mesh and cut out the spot where the chrysalis is and take it to the emerging Box. The emerging box (have I posted pic's of that?) was designed by me with scraps of wood and screen and paint ath I had around the back yard. It keeps the predators out. Only lost one chrysalis there last year due to, I think, a disease or other issue.

If I didn't post pic's of the box let me know and I will do thaht later.

Dwayne

Dwayne

[nicewitch]

My first brood are now chrysalids (all but 2), so I'm expecting my first release of the season in the last week of June. A few casualties along the way, sent 3 cats and a potted milkweed to a local school (1 died, 1 pupated, 1 still eating), 2 others to my doctor's kids (no info). Currently 16 chrysalids, 3 cats remaining from the original batch, and 9 hatchings from gathering in the last few days. How're yours doing?

[dandjtaylor]

13 survivors. 11 of them are really big and fat fifth's while the other two are about to be fourth's. Cold and damp weather consistantly is all I can think of as their slow development.

Also, still yet to have a monarch land among my milkweeds...weather again.

You will obviously take the honors with your brood and congrats. Now where the heck are the rest of the Monarchs?

Dwayne

[nicewitch]

Around here (St. Catharines/Niagara region) I've seen a grand total of ONE adult, 10 days ago. Eggs are few and far between, too. We're also abyssmally short of ladybugs this year - aphids are covering everything in sight. I wonder what/who else is in short supply?

[Pixie]

Hi - this message is for Dwayne..........I checked out your photos & they are gorgeous. I do have a question. What is the method of posting photos to an already registered member waystation. I am waystation # 252 and would like to post some photos, but cannot find any info as to go about it......Can you help??

[dandjtaylor]

Thanks, Pixie...Yes, I can get that info for you...I am at work right now and it is on my home email.

I am getting ready to add pix of the newly expanded garden.

I'll get that info to you in the next day or say.

Dwayne
#2638

[dandjtaylor]

OK, Pix, his name is Jim Lovett at Kansus U. His email is jlovett@KU.edu.

Email the pix as well as your waystation number. Ha can even make changes to your waystation descriptionsc (size, plants, etc.)

Good luck.

DWayne
2638

[nicewitch]

First releases of the season yesterday morning - 9 females, not a male to be seen. Today, released 7 males, 1 female. Another one due today or tomorrow, then 6 around Canada Day (July 1) or a day or two later. 30+ cats still in various stages, 20+ eggs, plus a HUGE armload of milkweed to search and refrigerate - happy, happy, happy! Hope yours are doing well, too!

Cherril

[dandjtaylor]

Congrats!

We have 12 Chrysalids after one fell during the transfer from container to emerging box. It was black this morning and oozing. Too bad. Still no wild monarchs in the yard! This is bizzare!

Also have 4 American Lady chrysalids (lots of cats) and one Black Swallowtail getting ready to become a chrysalis with 3 other BS cats in various stages. Lots of cabbage whites...already released 6. They are so cute how they fly like drunken sailors.

Dwayne