Counted nine out there this week. They did fine last year, so I expect they will be ok again this year.

I saw three last week. I would probably have more, but they ate all my milkweed. I left them alone. I think they actually may do better now since the wasps that were killing them all in the summer are gone.

I've got a few...at least, I did.
They were big 'n fat 3 days ago so I figger they're off somewhere prolly pupating...LOL
They did not, however, completely strip my 5 milkweed plants...plenty of food should more pull up a chair at the dinner table. :)
I'm going to assume that at night the cats I have snuggle deep down under the oak leaves that are EVERYWHERE!!! Ugh!
LOL

I haven't seen any cats recently and only one Monarch last weekend when it was warm. I have tons of Milkweed right now and lots of seed pods. I will be ready when they do show up. They can usually snuggle down in the dirt and be okay but I usually bring them in when it is this cold.

Well, I cannot say for sure but almost anytime I go out I have seen at l cat either small or large... I was actually surprised as I was expecting no cats during winter... and in the last few days I have noticed more of them .. I hope they would survived these freezes...

I don't know whether the cats are supposed to go into the dirt when it's cold or not, but I can't really imagine them doing that, as sensitive to touch as their skin is. I do know that yesterday morning, I found three lying on top of the cold wet mulch underneath the milkweed, curled up in tight balls, and barely moving. I think they were hiding under the milkweed leaves during the night and got so cold they lost their grip. That's just what I'm imagining. I don't have proof of that, of course. But when I placed them back on the plant, they gradually uncurled and began to eat again.

Now the small ones I saw two days ago are nowhere to be found. I think they probably bit the dust, not having enough stores of whatever passes for caterpillar fat to keep them alive during the cold. Again, though, I'm just guessing. This is a part of their lives I don't know much about, since I usually don't see them in winter.

Today, I moved the large ones still around into the back porch in my little plastic butterfly box, and put plenty of milkweed in there for now. Several of them are big enough to pupate soon. One is a bit smaller, and we'll just have to hope the milkweed lasts long enough for him. (Inside or outside, the milkweed issue would be the same.)

Hope they make it. They'll be my first releases of 2009, if they do.

Marcia

All seven of the cats I brought into the back porch are doing well today, and one is already "J-ing up" on the top of the container. I may have to make a trip to Lukas for some organically grown milkweed to feed the rest, as the few volunteers in my yard probably won't last long enough for all of them. I'm kind of tickled to be able to release some monarchs this early in the season. Hope they all make it.

Marcia

I wished I lived closer to you because I still have lots of milkweed growing in protected areas but no cats. In fact I had no monarchs last year, which is why I have so much milkweed now, but did have a bumper crop of Frits. Will one type of butterfly run off other types? I just have a hard time thinking of butterflies as being "aggressive"! HA-HA!

Good Luck with your cats!
nova

Nova, butterflies ARE aggressive, but I don't know for sure how much of it is part of mating rituals and how much is territorial against other species of butterflies. I have watched gulf frits and zebras battle over passionvine, with one or the other pretty much taking over the individual plant exclusively. But I haven't noticed whether they would drive an entire species away from a garden.

I do know that I had nowhere near as many monarchs last year as I did the year before, whereas some of our members were posting that they had MORE. So maybe it has more to do with something migratory, etc.

I haven't found any info on this, but will look later on, just out of curiosity.

Wish I had that milkweed. The one who J-ed up yesterday was back down grazing today. Guess he changed his mind, so I will have to get some fresh leaves today.

Marcia

I've had monarchs continuously for two year now. I have lots of milkweed for them to eat and lots of flowers for them to visit. I have caterpillars pretty much continuously, but less of them at this time of year.

One thing that I have noticed is that the cats are much darker these last two months or so. I'm not sure what does this.

It is warm today and I'm seeing some sulphurs and some frits as well as some of the smaller butterflies--don't know their names.

Hi,Tom! Glad to know you are seeing lots of monarchs and other butterflies. I hadn't really thought about whether the cats I just brought in are darker in color than normal or not, but I do know there can be a lot of variation in color on some cat species. I think I'll look closer and compare to some pictures from the summer of 2007, when I was overrun with monarchs.

My fennel has come back thick and full, so I'm hoping to get black swallowtails again this year. Last year was my first year for raising them, and I was thrilled with watching them eclose. Very different experience from the monarchs. And funny thing, I still have one black swallowtail chrysalis which has never eclosed. I believe it to be still viable, as it didn't rot like dead ones do, so I'm hoping as the weather warms, my little sleeper will wake up from his very long nap. It's been about 7 months since the caterpillar became a chrysalis, but I have read that this happens from time to time.

So interesting, eh?

Marcia

I brought 2 caterpillars inside & they formed chrysalis, which have been black for over a week now. I'm afraid they aren't going to emerge. What causes this? I have raised & released many but never had this happen before. Any advice would be appreciated.

What kind are they? If they are monarchs and the chrysalises (chrysali?) have turned black after forming, they are probably no longer viable. That can be caused by many things, most often probably parasites that were already inside the caterpillars. Can you take a picture?

Marcia

They are monarchs. They were the beautiful green at first & when they turned black I thought they were getting ready to emerge but it's taking too long I'm afraid. I will wait a few more days before giving up on them.

Doesn't sound promising. Once they turn black, they usually eclose within a few hours, sometimes a few minutes. Actually, they turn clear and the black is the butterfly inside that you can see right through the chrysalis. You can even see orange, too. If they are solid black, it sounds like the cats didn't survive. Normally, they will begin to get nasty after a couple of days if they have died. But by all means, give them a chance, just in case. Good luck!

Marcia