I have one chrysalis, that I found as a late instar cat just over a week ago in a parking lot. I also have three early instar cats that I found as eggs on the same plant as the chrysalis. I saw a Monarch briefly flit across my yard high above the trees, and another that was nectaring a day later. But, so far I've not found any eggs or cats in my own yard. The plants are all in bloom and ready for them. I'll just try to be patient.

Martha

Got my first eggs early in late April and raised and released about 30. Then, about 3 weeks ago I netted a female and put her into a net cylinder with some host and nectar plants. In three days I collected over 100 eggs. I gave away a bunch of the eggs and cats to a teacher and have been raising 71 of them myself. Some are in the pupae stage and some are still munching. The past years has been pretty slim in my area so I feel very lucky to have these.

I have released 25 Monarchs this week. I still have a few left in chrysalides. This has been my best group--no losses. I have raised and released approximately 75 Monarchs this year in three batches.

It will be interesting to see if some of the females stick around and lay eggs. I've had males visiting the garden, so maybe. . .

Sandy

Wow - congrats! Y'all are all in the monarch business in a big way!

I haven't seen a monarch since spring, didn't get any eggs then, but this is all normal. If I get eggs, it'll be in late summer or early fall. Here's hoping that happens this year - I'm growing them lots of milkweed.

Sherry

Well, I've collected 7 more eggs since Monday night! Found 4 eggs this morning on those same little Swamp milkweed plants. Now I KNOW the eggs weren't there yesterday because I have scoured the milkweed. Also found 1-2 eggs on the tropical and common milkweed.

The female Monarch(s) is being very furtive. I haven't seen her or any other Monarchs in the yard yet, only a few while driving around. She also seems to be very choosy about where she lays. I planted a sweep of about 2 dozen Ascelpias curassavica seedlings, which are about 3-6 inches tall, and she laid only one egg on the very last plant on the edge of the garden.

So I've got 13 eggs so far. :) Also 7 tiny 1st instar BSTs.

It has really picked up in the Minneapolis Burbs (Minrose brings you the Minnesota COUNTRY report) ;)

We have had females laying eggs here every day for at least the last week. There are seven sections of milkweed around our yard (common, swamp, baby butterfly weed, tropical) and every section has eggs and cats. I am raising just 12 at a time because of the time involved, but would be right up there with minrose if I tried to rescue all the eggs/cats.

The females conduct their egg laying business in the morning and then go. The males are usually frolicking around in the afternoon nectaring, so far, on the brazilian verbena, zinnias, and orange cosmos.

Today there were actually 3 males today at the same time...I bet they are waiting for a female!

That's the first time I remember multiple monarchs hanging around with no liatris ligulistylis blooming. The liatris is coming along though and the buds are beginning to show. Just a couple weeks and the yard will be filled with flying acrobatic male monarchs! I am going to try and get some good pictures and video this year so you can see this amazing spectacle.

The rest of the butterfly season is still slow, but the Minnesota Monarchs are here in full force!

Tony

I am honored to be mentioned twice in this post, thank you. I found 25 eggs yesterday just around our farm.