Butterfly Gardening and Conservation Blog

More Monarch eggs!

Found another Monarch egg in the morning, probably from day before.

Saw a male Monarch flying around.

I also saw a bluish/dark butterfly fly through the yard quickly, couldn't identify it though. Could have been a Red Spotted Purple or some type of Swallowtail.

In the afternoon saw another female Monarch laying eggs! She let me get real close and watch, didn't have a camera with me though. She laid hers real close to the flower buds.

One of the Monarchs molted again, didn't see it happen, but saw the dead skin laying there.

A Painted or American Lady sighting!

I think one of the Monarchs molted over night, its fake antenna things are now just barely visible.

Another Monarch flew by, but didn't stop.

Either a Painted Lady or American Lady was hanging around the garden today. I have a hard time telling which is which. It was hanging out near the appropriate host plants and also nectaring from the zinnias in the garden. I got a few pictures of it, but couldn't get too close, it wouldn't let me. I'm guessing it was a male based on its behavior and also that I didn't find any eggs afterward.

Biggest Monarch caterpillar is now about 6mm long, got some pictures of it.

Found another egg on a tropical milkweed.

Monarch #1 disappeared!

I couldn't find Monarch caterpillar #1! A predator must have gotten it. From now on I'll to keep them in the enclosure I have for caterpillars. I moved #2 and 3 to a potted plant and put it in the enclosure.

Monarch caterpillars are growing!

Monarch #1 has grown a lot! Its stripes are now visible. Egg #2 from 7/25 turning dark on top - it will hatch at any time!

Rainy/cloudy most of the day, not many butterflies around. Did see a Tiger Swallowtail late in the day and also either a Question Mark or Comma.

Around 7 PM took a picture of Monarch #1, it was about 4 mm long. #'s 2 and 3 hatched!

Monarch egg #1 hatched!

The Monarch egg found on 7/25 on the tropical milkweed hatched early in the afternoon. At first its body was white and its head was black, but within an hour or so its body had turned a grey/green color.

A Black Swallowtail, whose lower left wing was nearly missing, laid eggs (around 10) in my garden, mostly on fennel, one on dill.

Later in the day a second Black Swallowtail, one with perfect wings, also came and laid some eggs. Lost count of how many at that point.

First Buckeye!

Today while volunteering at the Sophia M. Sachs
Butterfly House in Chesterfield, MO I saw a Buckeye, Monarch, some Swallowtails and white and sulfurs.

Later in the day at home, I found yet another Monarch egg on a Swamp Milkweed. I measured it, it had a diameter of about 1 mm. I took a picture. I also found a Snout Butterfly laying dead outside the house, got pictures of it too. I saw a Question Mark or Comma, couldn't tell which it was, on one of the rotting bananas hanging from a tree.

Found Monarch eggs!

Today I found a Monarch egg on a tropical milkweed plant in my garden! Later in the evening I found another on a swamp milkweed plant.

First Tiger Swallowtail of the year!

My first sighting of a Tiger Swallowtail was today! It was flying near the creek behind our house!