monarch drying wings

A male monarch either drying his wings or just resting on our passion vine against the screen lanai.

Flawless Male Monarch

So the Monarchs are still being born. This one is so perfect and fresh. Flawless. Nectaring on Jatropha in the backyard.

the say you are suppose to let nature take it's course...

and sometimes it really s*cks to watch. Not that I just stood there. I screamed and called for a broom but it was too late.

top left: Newly formed monarch chrysalis. The caterpillar spent all day yesterday finding it's spot and by dark last night it was hanging in its J. I awoke to this pretty little chrysalis with gold speckles hanging like a delicate necklace charm. I can even see it's wing formation.

top right: Late morning I went to observe and saw this green monster (anole lizard) eyeing it up. I also noted a liquid green drop at the bottom of the chrysalis. I thought he was up to something bad but I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

bottom left: Sure enough little b*stard was up to no good as I suspected. The green anole lizard took a great big bite on the chrysalis. I screamed (ha ha my lizards listen to me), and he stopped but not in time.

bottom right: The damage. Dents and punctures and most likely the pupa is either dead or deformed. I'll leave it hanging just in case, or should I?

Got Milk...

Weed? We have a heckuva lot of monarch caterpillars noticed today. I was complaining that we've had monarchs laying eggs everyday and I hadn't really seen any...well boy did they creep up over night! I counted 15 on one small plant (second pic shows them all, can you find them? Click to enlarge) and we have at least that many or more in another location. So I am off to the nursery to pick up some more milkweed today. They are $4 a piece. We bought 7 last week and had a few already in the yard that grow naturally. Today I will get 4 more. A monarch was here laying eggs this morning and yesterday too. Feels like a monarch farm here! Oh and I forgot to mention, I saw at least three big fat fella's crawling away from the plant this morning to go make their J somewhere. I wanted them to stay close by so I could locate them and watch/photograph the process but the ungrateful bastards went and hid on me. I've looked and looked and have no idea where they went. Probably crawled over to the neighbors who do absolutely nothing to help them in regards to habitat or food like we do. Likely have no idea they even exist.

monarch on ground orchid

Late Season for the Monarchs this Year

We were beginning to wonder if our Monarchs were ever going to come. Most of our spring Milkweed went to waste. We may have seen 1-2 Monarchs at the most. Then August came and the Milkweed was in full bloom again, and the Monarchs started to pop in. It has been nonstop since. Monarchs galore! This year I grew my own Milkweed from seeds or what was left over from last year popped up. I have had no problems with a yard full of handicap Monarchs like last year. That was dreadful! I bought a bad batch of Milkweed from Lowes because we ran out and it must have been spiked with insecticide because many butterflies came out of their crysallis missing this and that. It was awful. We spent a good deal of time caring for them till they passed. They couldn't fly or could barely fly and we would have to lift them onto a great big zinnia for the day to feed and drink. Fortunately this year all the Monarchs are flawless. Such a pretty site!

Monarch Cohabitating with Lizard

The lizards in the garden are very territorial (like the Monarchs) and they all have their own spots so I was surprised to see him sharing with the Monarch. This same lizard hangs out on this wrought iron yard decoration all the time, it's obviously his spot. The Lizards love anything new we put in the yard and it's a big deal to claim it. So, whenever we get a chance we buy them something and I am sure it makes their day.

Monarch on a Milkweed

Our Monarchs are so happy here. So much so, they are aggressive toward other species of butterflies trying to stop by the cafe for lunch. Try to enjoy a reservation at a Zinnia and forget about it! They will charge at them and try to get them to leave the garden. It's hilarious. They seriously know this is THEIR HOME and are not shy in the least about making others aware of this.

Not only do they lay their eggs on Milkweed leaves, they love the nectar too!.

Palamedes Swallowtail

The garden (aka the Butterfly Cafe) is very active the past couple of weeks. Everything is lush and gorgeous and we are just loving it.

I"ll start with the bad news, we had two Monarchs born with deformed wings today. I am not sure why this happens except I have read if they don't break from the crysalis in a timely manner, it can occur.

I also wonder if they are born in the shade, unable to get the sun quick to dry out their wings, or fall into a bad position and don't get into the right position quick enough to fill their wings with blood, will this cause their little wings to harden unformed? Or, is this natures way of taking care of too many Monarchs being born in one area? We have so many Monarchs and only so much food. The food does recycle itself, but maybe mother natures knows what is going on exactly here at the Butterfly Cafe?

I know a healthy butterfly is either in position already right out of the crysalis (because they did not fall) or falls and gets into position quick, filling its wings fully within a minute or two.

As usual, both disabled Monarchs were born around the 10 am to 11 am time frame just like all the healthy others I have seen. I guess they are on a time clock. Morning births when the sun is up and high enough to allow them plenty of time to fill their wings, dry out, rest, and get adjusted to their new home before the day is over.

What I am sharing with you is not the sad photo of a deformed Monarch ... that my friend is just my rather sad but real story that happened here at the Butterfly cafe.

There is lots of happiness and extraordinary beauty in the garden. Here is a perfectly formed, beautiful Palamedes Swallowtail feeding on the favorite amongst most, the Zinnia's.