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Has anyone had any unusually early Monarch sightings this year? I was just visiting my parents in central Pennsylvania. My boys and I found monarch eggs...that's at least 4-6 weeks earlier than I've ever found them in that area. I snagged a few to raise. I'm wondering if these guys would end up migrating south, or be sexually mature and push farther north. Any thoughts?

hey Mike,

PHWyvern seems to be our resident monarch expert (and KS moderator), I'll see if I can rattle her up for you...

>>Has anyone had any unusually early Monarch sightings this year? I was just visiting my parents in central Pennsylvania. My boys and I found monarch eggs...that's at least 4-6 weeks earlier than I've ever found them in that area. I snagged a few to raise. I'm wondering if these guys would end up migrating south, or be sexually mature and push farther north. Any thoughts?

June/July is typically when the mid atlantic area starts seeing adults going north. I started seeing them in Early May this year. The absolute earliest I have ever seen Monarchs is in late February (Mid Atlantic area near DC). That year happened to be a strange year for monarchs (about 10 years ago) as females were seriously egg dumping during the migration north and it caused a lot of worry for scientists. Egg dumping is usually a sign that a species is in serious trouble and is trying to make a last ditch effort to recoup their numbers. They never did find out the cause for that phenomenon after a few years studying it as ultimately the wintering population down in Mexico was within normal numbers..no big increase at all. Anyways, the primary problem with the egg dumping was there were so many caterpillars way too early in the season and the milkweed wasn't big enough to support the numbers. Usually you have 1-3 caterpillars per common milkweed plant...but there was like a dozen or so per plant and the plants weren't even full grown yet. I easily raised over a hundred by hand from what I collected in my garden at home.. and it's only normal for me to find a dozen.

The adults you see now are the ones who are from Mexico or are the first generation out of Texas from parents that emerged out of mexico. These butterflies will NOT migrate back south. They will continue to migrate north laying eggs as they go along until they finally die (a decent number will make it far up into Canada). The offspring of these adults will grow up and start laying eggs of their own. These eggs will hatch and those caterpillars will become the generation that ultimately migrates back south.
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Wyvern

The Invert Collection:
* (1) Aphonopelma anax - Texas Tan
* (1) Avicularia geroldi - Brazilian Blue Pinktoe
* (1) Brachypelma auratum - Mexican Flameknee
* (1) Brachypelma emilia - Mexican Red-leg
* (1) Brachypelma smithi - Mexican Red-knee
* (1) Cyclosternum fasciatum - Costa Rican Tiger Rump
* (1) Eupalaestrus campestratus - Pink Zebra Beauty
* (2) Grammostola pulchra - Brazilian Blacks
* (1) Lasiodora parahybana - Brazilian Salmon Birdeater
* (1) Nhandu chromatus / Lasidora cristata - Brazilian Red & White (aka White Striped Birdeater)
* (1) Nhandu coloratovillosus - Brazilian Black & White
* (1) Theraphosa blondi - Goliath Bird Eater
* (2) Latrodectus variolus - Northern Widow (female)
* (1) Latrodectus variolus - Northern Widow (male)

Greetings,
So far this year, I have not seen any Monarchs from the western group that migrates from California. Typically I see them late May to early June. Now it is almost July and none have appeared. Usually I have between 30-70 eggs and catapillars that I am raising by this time. I have looked online at the migration maps and there is no indication of problems, yet none of the maps show any sightings in Utah, where I live. Does anyone have an idea as to why they are late? I wonder about the cool spring we had in the west, but we have had cool temperatures before and they arrive anyway, like clockwork. Any information regarding the western group would be appreciated.

On a side note, does anyone have the secret to growing milkweed? I have tried countless times and have been unsuccessful. I have tried transplanting and sprouting from seed, to no avail. It almost seems that they grow where they want. My neighbors have them growing naturally, yet I try to duplicate the conditions and fail. Any tips on this would also be appreciated.
Thanks,
Scott

>>On a side note, does anyone have the secret to growing milkweed? I have tried countless times and have been unsuccessful. I have tried transplanting and sprouting from seed, to no avail. It almost seems that they grow where they want. My neighbors have them growing naturally, yet I try to duplicate the conditions and fail. Any tips on this would also be appreciated.
>>Thanks,
>>Scott

Most milkweeds - the seed almost guaranteed has to be overwintered in a cold place (refrigerator, outdoors, etc.) for several weeks in order to better the germination rate.

Poor soil and good full afternoon sun seems to do best for the 'common' milkweed. The packaged seed you normally buy in the stores (showy/swamp milkweed and butterfly weed) tend to do pretty well in gardens. The Showy/Swamp milkweed is the easiest to grow. Takes a bit more skill to get the butterfly weed to take. Butterfly weed is also prone to attracting aphids so may also invest in some ladybug larvae.

Common milkweed doesn't like being transplanted. The other types you can usually start in quart or half gallon sized pots and transplant after a year or two, but you have to be careful of the roots...they can suffer transplant shock.

Common milkweed -- trying to get it to grow is a guessing game. You are right in that it grows where it wants to grow. It took me 8 years of scattering seeds everywhere to finally get some to 'take'. And it mostly wasn't where I wanted it to be lol. So I had to rearrange some beds to accomodate the milkweed's choices. I have one patch that is doing fine in a spot where it is not being obnoxious, though I have some others trying to grow right smack in the middle of the grass lawn looking very much out of place lol...keep mowing it down and it keeps trying to come right back. If you can get just one plant growing you are doing good. The following year it'll throw up to 2-4 stalks and the following year throw even more...it's based on the root structure..the stronger the root system the more stalks will be able to be supported. I did find that a hard packed soil compared to a loose garden soil seems to help the common milkweed grow better.
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Wyvern

The Invert Collection:
* (1) Aphonopelma anax - Texas Tan
* (1) Brachypelma auratum - Mexican Flameknee
* (1) Brachypelma emilia - Mexican Red-leg
* (1) Brachypelma smithi - Mexican Red-knee
* (1) Cyclosternum fasciatum - Costa Rican Tiger Rump
* (2) Grammostola pulchra - Brazilian Blacks

Thank you for the great information. Leave it to me to want to try and grow the most challenging - the Common Milkweed. However, this is the species I see most here in Salt Lake City, and also seems to be the favorite for Monarchs to lay eggs on, as well as Queen butterflies. You gave some great suggestions that I will put to use here. Thanks again.
Scott