larryzplace Loc: Elk Grove Village Illinois

Very nice,

I am sure we will enjoy the future shots you will be taking

sailorsmom Loc: Souderton, PA

Really good shot, Angela!

Rob48 Loc: Portland, ME

angela k Loc: Long Island

Glad to hear you were armed and ready to capture the shots... that's how I feel, I just want to document their visits and happenings, that's why most of the time for indoor cat shots, I use my cell.

I actually did look up the Pawpaw tree.... very intersting and I wish you luck if you do purchase new ones!!

Hope you got the much needed rain you need... here is absolutely gorgeous outside, sunny, warm and not humid!!

fyi... #2 transformed into the chrysalis!!

angela k Loc: Long Island

Thanks Larry!! Now I have two in their chrysalis!

angela k Loc: Long Island

Thanks Sue.... this is an exciting time!! I have 2 in their chrysalis!

angela k Loc: Long Island

Thanks Rob!

Swamp-Cork Loc: Lanexa, Virginia

Thanks, Angela and think that we had about seven raindrops, but had watered a good deal yesterday and have already watered again this morning! Ellen and I just came in from outside and had been watering one of our next doors neighbors flowers and plants, as they have gone with a few other boats for about a ten-day cruise on the bay and we stopped back by our milkweed plants and discovered three cats on our swamp plants and one on a common milkweed plant and some plants have sustained quite a bit of damage so suspect that we may have missed a few earlier ones!... I downloaded directions to the nursery in Afton, Virginia, yesterday (133 miles) and had thought about making the trip today, but just couldn't get it together. There had been some early forecasts for rain most of the day, but should have known better! It might be a while as our neighbors on our other side are leaving for the Outer Banks tomorrow and we will attempt to maintain their flowers also! So now we are feeding the birds for one family, the fish, and watering flowers for another, and also watering the flowers for another, but we really don't mind because they are great friends and oh I almost forgot am having a Neice visit from Michigan on the 14th! Hope you guys are planning for a great weekend and please keep us posted on the cats!

angela k Loc: Long Island

You guys are always so busy and you have such wonderful neighbors/friends!!! Where I am, everyone is very unsociable.... ugh....
I'm sure when things calm down, you will have time to take that trip to Virginia to pick up your trees.... but how exciting that you found three cats on the milkweed!!!!! Are the ones on the common milkweed monarchs as well??? How big are the cats you found??? A suggestion, but why don't you clip the branch they are on, stick it in water and keep them close to your house so you can watch the progress!! Keep me posted!!!

David is taking tomorrow off.... lots of things to do around the house, we're having a new shed built tomorrow, so we need to empty out the old one and then he is taking a week off for vacation. We will do some day trips, but then again, all the work that we have to catch up on around the house!! But the weather is supposed to be perfect!!

Enjoy the rest of the day!!

Swamp-Cork Loc: Lanexa, Virginia

Hope you guys have a great vacation and if it's like here, there's always something that needs doing, but it can wait and as time passes each day becomes more precious. We did have four large trees taken down just before the reunion as they were hollow and one large section broke off and destroyed a flower and hanger exactly where Ellen and I were standing only a few hours before!... We try to keep things decent, but not nearly as conscientious as we use to be, and not too concerned that when we pass if no one says they sure kept a spotless home! lol ...We did find one more Monarch cat which makes four if we did not miss anymore, but several times while checking thought we had only one as they are moving around on the plants quite a bit. Two are fairly large and the remaining two are maybe one and one half inches long! Hope you guys have great weather and lots of fun. Take care!

angela k Loc: Long Island

Hi Corky.... sorry, I just saw your comment. One thing I hate about being on this UHH, if you miss a day or so, it's so hard to catch up!!!
Thankfully you had those trees cut down and the two of you were mighty lucky not being there when the branch fell!! It's wonderful that you are finding monarch cats... our little mama has returned many times... I have a container full of leaves and eggs and then I bought a real butterfly cage... I think it will be easier to maintain than my make shift set up... Out of the 5 chrysalis, four are still green but one turned black righ way, so it must be dead.

Yesterday afternoon we went fishing on a charter boat... so much fun and we caught so many porgies and I actually caught 2 large sea bass... what a fight, but they were only 23" and they need to be 28" to keep them, but the fight was fun!! Tomorrow we're taking a ride out east and the weather is supposed to be beautiful... so it will be fun!

Take care and enjoy the day tomorrow... can't believe it's Wednesday already, the week is flying by...

Swamp-Cork Loc: Lanexa, Virginia

Hi, Angela. and that was really a beautiful fish and hope that you guys are having fun today, also. I had this reply just about ready to send yesterday when something strange came up from my spell check and I made the mistake of clicking on it and presto, my reply vanished--- gave up in disgust and then other disruptions happened and are just making it back online and also must be quite a bit behind! All five cats have disappeared and think it may have something to do with birds! Had been keeping a fairly close eye on them and one or two would disappear but they were usually around and I had just overlooked them! Its really good news to hear about all the eggs and seems like you will have more busy times and think that I need to talk with you about obtaining a butterfly cage also! I went outside a few minutes ago to warm up and it was just about as cool outside as inside and cooler temps are forecast so hope that will make thing more comfortable for several days! Have fun and take care!

angela k Loc: Long Island

Technology.... sometimes it's more of a headache!! lol... When I type, like right now, I'm on my table and with a bluetooth keypad, it doesn't have spell check, so I'm forever checking my phone on how to spell things!!!

So sorry to hear about your cats!!!! maybe they went to higher ground and getting ready to J-Hook and chrysalis... they have to find a stable place, not the plant. I'm leaving one egg on the plant, but I covered it with a sheer netting so nothing can get to it! When I spoke to the monarch association of Idaho, I have a friend there, they told me if possible to put a laundry basket over a plant if you have cats munching away... that will keep them safe from birds. This butterfly cage I bought seems to be working out well... I put styrofoam on the bottom and I'm using those floral picks that hold water to keep the milkweed clippings fresh. If you are interested, I can take a picture of it and send it to you. Right now I have the tiny cats on one side and the bigger ones on the other.... still a little nervouse about where are they going to go when they J-Hook, I don't want to have to take them off the top and put them in another container, but from the videos I've watched, once the chrysalis is dry, they can be handled.

Today we had to take my little Lola (14) to the vet... she's not eating and acting odd. All sorts of tests and xrays....$800 later and he recommends we force feeding her for a while, I'm hoping she just has an upset stomach and will be back to normal by tomorrow. Also had to do a major pond cleaning today... thankfully the weather is glorious and hope your weather is as well!! .....spotted my first dragon!!

Enjoy the day and weekend!!!

BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

Thank you for the interest & help. There is much to learn about raising Monarchs. I am a Certified Monarch Waystaytion. I have been doing this for over 20 years now.These sites will help you to understand.

http://www.monarchwatch.org/

http://www.monarchparasites.org/ - Pay close attention to the 'Monarch Parasites' tab at the top.

There are potential risks of growing exotic (non-native) milkweeds for monarchs. Each fall, monarchs in eastern and western North America migrate to overwintering sites, where they form clusters in trees and stay in a semi-dormant state until the spring. However, some monarchs skip the traditional long-distance migration. In parts of the southern U.S. and California, the year-round persistence of tropical milkweed allows monarchs to breed throughout the winter. These year-round tropical milkweed patches foster greater transmission of the protozoan Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE), increasing the likelihood that monarchs become infected with the debilitating parasite. Therefore, we recommend that tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) should be cut back in the winter and fall months in the southern U.S. and California, and should be gradually replaced with native milkweeds as they become available.

angela k Loc: Long Island

Thank you, BBurns for your visit and info.... I haven't seen Monarchs in my garden in years, last year I bought my first native milkweed and like magic, they came... bought a second that same year and for my first time helping the monarchs, I raised and released 23!! This year they are back and have left me many little ones to care for and I feel honored and blessed that I can do this for them.... I've watched tons of videos and read a lot of info about their needs. After hearing that their population is down, I am honored to do what I can to help!! Thank you for the links you attached... I am keeping them bookmarked!!

Are you seeing many in California.... this year, I am seeing more than ever and today I released #2 & 3... a male & female.