We had a very productive last summer. We raised and released 48 Monarch butterflies. We took in 50 eggs but only 48 made it to butterflies. The whole process was much more time consuming than beekeeping. To prevent disease, we changed Milkweed leaves and cleaned the nursery tanks daily. Once the last butterfly fluffed it wings out in the garden, a sense of accomplishment and … Continue reading Raising Monarch butterflies
More Of Them This Year The population of Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) has been dwindling down to a point of concern that they may be heading toward extinction. With a small patch of garden, we try our best to help them by letting the Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) grow. It’s the only plant that Monarch caterpillars eat. I didn’t grow the first milkweed. It came … Continue reading Monarch
The Guest Who Came To Breakfast I came out to make coffee in the kitchen this morning and found an unexpected guest resting on the kitchen sink. I can’t really say ‘unexpected’ since I expected him to show up sometime in the near future but not this morning. He has been lounging in his chrysalis next to our kitchen sink for the last couple of months, a totally … Continue reading Yellow Winter Butterfly
Heading Toward Extinction? An article in The New York Times yesterday entitled Monarch Migration Plunges To Lowest Level in Decades by Michael Wines leaves me saddened and disappointed. Though the article mentioned that it’s “due mostly to extreme weather and a change in farming practices in North America.” It doesn’t matter whether it is caused by the weather or farming practice, we can help slow the pace of extinction. … Continue reading Disappearing Monarch
First Seen This Summer I spend time on my days off in the garden, doing the garden chores and stalking birds and insects. I find something new in the garden every year. It’s interesting to see how fast birds and insects learn to locate food sources. Once you start growing something they like they always come around. The same goes for bird feeders. I put … Continue reading New Kids On the Block
Petals and Wings 