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eggs3

migration question for Monarchs in Texas

eggs3
11 years ago

I'm near Houston, TX. and am a beginner in raising monarchs.

In about the third week of July, I had several visits from monarchs to my garden and I now have 13 chrysalises in my nursery as a result of their visit.

I have some questions.

Where did these visiting monarchs come from? I thought monarchs mainly summered up north and then would migrate back to the south in the fall. Do a number just hang around in Texas all year long?

Should I expect to see a good number of monarchs in October or so as the migration to Mexico takes place?

Thanks for any info!

Comments (8)

  • wifey2mikey
    11 years ago

    I had some in July and I have some now - not a bunch like I get during migration. Only thing I can figure is some of them lagged behind or stayed here?

    ~Laura

  • runmede
    11 years ago

    There's also butterfly releases. Many people release Monarchs for all kinds of events.

  • imabirdnut
    11 years ago

    I finally saw a monarch over the weekend but haven't seen any since the spring! I currently have a ton of tropical milkweed growing & am anxiously awaiting their return migration!
    The queens have been here most of the summer & I currently have at least 2 dozen nectaring & have seen a few cats but the predators are in high numbers, as well, so I've only seen one or two cats on my milkweed so far. I had brought in 6 tiny cats in July but only one made it to pupation & then it turned black(not in the "good" way)! Haven't brought any in since!
    Seems each butterfly year is a little different...this spring I've seen an abundance of Mourning Cloaks & American Ladies but again haven't seen them since late May. I haven't seen a Tiger Swallowtail this year at all but am hoping to see some soon! Last year...I saw 1-2 daily! Also, the GSTs were scarce but have been seeing a few lately but again...no cats!
    Late August through November is when the big monarch numbers here in my yard!It amazes me that this last generation flies all the way to Mexico & back!
    Hope we all see some soon!
    Lila

  • eggs3
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Will the monarchs that show up for migration this fall in Texas lay eggs?

  • runmede
    11 years ago

    Some do lay eggs. I know a person in Austin and she's had egg lay Monarchs most of the summer.

  • wifey2mikey
    11 years ago

    I have had Monarchs throughout the entire summer - just a few - but that was a first for me here in toasty hot Oklahoma. I currently have two chrysalides and six early instar cats. There are more eggs on the milkweed - in fact there was a Monarch momma laying eggs yesterday!

    ~Laura

  • ericwi
    11 years ago

    Monarchs migrate south in the fall, from all over the USA and Canada, converging on Texas. Except that there is a population in California that migrates within California, and there is a population in south Florida, that stays there year 'round. The migration seems to follow river valleys, possibly because that is where flowering plants are most likely to be found. So here in Wisconsin, many monarchs migrate north following the Mississippi River, and also along the shore of Lake Michigan. They also migrate north through the interior of the state, but the numbers are smaller.

  • mechelle_m
    11 years ago

    I went outside and saw a monarch lay eggs on a (tithonia) mexican sunflower!!! I brought one of the leaves in to see if it will hatch. There is a milkweed at the base of the tithonias, somewhat lost in the foliage of the tithonia, which are about 7 feet tall.
    Mechelle

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