I haven't brought in any eggs for a couple of weeks. The second-last larva is getting ready for its 'j' formation and the last larva is still eating voraciously. It will pupate in a day or so as well.
Out in the garden we've been getting lots of monarch visitors. Could they be ones I've released? New ones stopping in on the way south? Who knows?
The butterfly bush continues to be a big hit. This monarch has some damage to its wings. There's a chunk out of the fore wing and a bit of crumpling on the hind wing.
Another landed on the orange zinnia.
Two seemed to prefer the yellow zinnias.
This one didn't seem to mind sharing the zinnia with 2 Japanese beetles. After the butterfly flew away, I zapped the two beetles with my racquet zapper like
one of these.
The butterfly bush is a bit hit with the bees as well.
This time of year the Joe Pye weed is at its best and quite popular with the butterflies and bees.
The warm, sunny days are the best for the monarchs. They're mustering along the lakeshore, preparing for the long trek south. They need to get a move on because the cool weather is coming. I still have a few pupae and 2 larvae on the go. Things should be wrapped up by the last full week of September.
No comments:
Post a Comment