I saw 2 monarchs today on my butterfly bush in a light drizzle. If they are still here I am sure there is still a chance there are some more around you Ann.

krobra said:I saw 2 monarchs today on my butterfly bush in a light drizzle. If they are still here I am sure there is still a chance there are some more around you Ann.

It's okay. They can go migrate, I don't mind. It was just a question in my mind as well as we had a discussion here a while back about whether they stay here or not. There are populations of year round monarchs in FL, we know that, but I'm really far north in the state so even I wondered if they would stay here or head south.

Ann -- I have no local experience, but do study a lot. And I am a member of the Monarch Watch email list-serve, so I get to read a lot about Monarchs with reports from all over North America.

It is my understanding that yes indeed there are a lot of Monarchs that hang around In Florida, but is in the Southern part of the state. The North part gets too cold for them.

Cheryl, I took about six photos to get the shot of that egg with the hole in it. So don't give me too much credit.

I haven't uploaded my pictures yet so you guys have to wait until tomorrow. But I did find an Orange-Barred Sulphur caterpillar that I have brought into my bedroom/lab.

And speaking of Monarch Watch, I received my milkweed flats today! I unpacked them, straightened them up a bit from the UPS handling, moved them to some shade near the hose, and misted them with water. Of course, it poured the rain tonight. The plants look good. I just have to get out there and weed before I put them in their spot. Also, I need to read to see how far apart to plant them. And then I need to actually plant them that far away from each other. I swear, I will take a tape measure out there with me! I am so bad at planning. And estimating distance.

Thanks for your observations Ann on whether the Monarchs in your area are 'permanent' residents or part of those that move on and eventually migrate. I too keep wondering how (via what route) they get to me and where they go after.

I'm also thinking that Monarchs generally don't stay in one place for their brief life span but continue to move North until sun angle/temps (etc) begin to trigger movement Southward back towards Oxmel fir forest micro climate for the long winter diapause. If they didn't move on from their place of hatching and metamorphosis to adult, those of us who hand raise to beat the dismal 2% survival rate in the wild, would find our
gardens quickly overwhelmed and swarming with Monarchs! (Nice thought!!!!)

The last group I released did seem to hang around longer than others until following reports out of Cape May New Jersey where migrating groups were also 'hanging around' waiting for the winds ro switch from SSE to out of the North.

Still have 50+ to go, half in chrysalis, and a quarter each in egg and cat. Weather here
today, Fri and Sat 100% rain, heavy at times, not the best for release for any that emerge. At least the temps are holding above mid 60's at night.

Via con Dios little ones!

No butterflies today! Mostly cloudy and 60°.
Moths were out, pics of a Day Looper and an unknown triangular -

and with a bee > or 2 >


Unknown triangular > with a fly >

@mellielong
I submitted a moth photo along with my id of it to BAMONA at least a month ago & it's still pending. Is it possible they forgot about it? Do you think I should contact them & bring it to their attention?

I had a Monarch on my butterfly bush just a few days ago. I was surprised as I thought they would all be gone south already.

Queens were having a party on the Greg's Mist Flower yesterday. Good butterfly watching as they head south.





The swallowtails preferred the Duranta and Flame Acanthus.

Gorgeous, Char!

jmorth said:Unknown triangular > with a fly >

It's a Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth (Spoladea recurvalis). I saw one for the first time this year, then noticed a lot of people seeing them on iNat lately. Must be a late summer into fall moth.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/...

Thanks Morgan.
Now I've 2 different beet webworm moths, both triangular. The Hawaiian one is more colorful.
the other one 'Spotted Beet Webworm Moth'
Hymenia perspectalis

wildflowers said:

It's my giant bean stalk that has been growing like crazy on the hummingbird post. It's a slow growing bean stalk with giant beans called Sword Bean. I'll have to look up the Latin name but I'll take a picture of the whole plant tomorrow.

Thank you Christine The Floridians have a lot of subtropical beauties, but having lived there on and off and visiting every year, I'm used to seeing them. Now most of the Texan stuff is really way out there weird and strange! Texas really is like it's very own country

flaflwrgrl said:I think I can pretty much say that the monarchs in my area of FL do not stay here. I was seeing "my babies" all over the place but the last 4 days or so I haven't seen a one. I'm thinking they are part of the migration. There have been no egg bombings on my milkweed since I collected all those cats so it's apparent the monarchs I released did not mate & lay eggs here.

Ann~ Does it get down to freezing temps where you are? I have family in the panhandle and it can get pretty cold sometimes!! Maybe yours are with the group that goes to South Florida?.I'm down to just a few Monarch chrysalises .What is tricky part is trying to launch them in the best possible weather conditions, sunny, no wind, no rain. Not always doable with my schedule, yesterday I had to release two earlier when it wasn't sunny yet, but they had warmth and dry wings overnight.

Ann, sometimes BAMONA can take a while. Especially when it comes to the more uncommon species. And yes, they seem to be slower on moths. For some reason, they leave them as "pending" even when they have a note under it saying they can't identify it. That drives me crazy. I submitted a caterpillar for Christine back in July that they still haven't identified. That's pretty unusual and I've been thinking about contacting them about it.

This new format has me like

bejeweled



alien face hugger

Those chrysalis sure are amazing and beautiful up close!

Gramma Char

The amount of Queens on your Mist flowers makes it look like you have a butterfly house! I love that one photo with them, a Sulphur that looks like it's just floating, and the other one nearby, I think it's a Snout? I had just one here a few months ago, Don't you get flocks of them? (or whatever else you call it?)

Thanks Melanie. I'll just sit tight on BAMONA for a while then.

Pretty photos Char!

I like that Spotted Beet Webworm moth J.

Cheryl, yes, we get freezing temps. here. I'm only 35 mi. south of the GA border.
I know what you mean about tricky for release as far as weather goes. I was very worried when that last tropical storm was coming through. We were supposed to have days & days & days of hard rain & wind and I was afraid some would eclose during that time. Thankfully nothing turned out like the weather guessers predicted and I didn't have any eclose during that weather window. I was plenty worried though.
All mine are butterflies now & have been released.

Kurt, those chrysalises are awesome pretty -- well, the bejeweled one anyway. The alien face sucker is an appropriate description for sure!

I am thankful I have a carport I can release any butterflies in , I can even move a few potted nectar plants in there too if need be.