You must have acres of milkweed!
I should say I'm sorry about your up-coming freeze, but I'm actually a little jealous. We've had beautiful, fall-like weather for over a week, but now it's back to the heat and humidity, although not as much so as it was earlier in the summer. So, that means we're gradually cooling off here, too, but very gradually! :)
Compared to your numbers, my monarch counts are pitifully low - I've released six monarchs in the last few days, five males and one female.
Congrats to you, the best monarch raiser of all!
Sherry

I have about 15 chrysalises left, and 10 BST cats approaching their final instar. I'm curious, though, about several posts that some members are just now finding eggs and starting the whole rearing process. Is there still time for a new egg to progress through the entire cycle in time to set forth and get to Mexico before the snow flies? Or does nature simply keep trying on the off chance it will be an abnormally long, warm autumn?

Martha

Here in Oklahoma there is still time to raise a generation of Monarchs. We are 6-8 weeks out from our first freeze. I have collected over 60 eggs in the last few days. Today I got out and visited the Cherokee Wildlife Management Area about an hour away. Some of the fields have been mowed and new plants have erupted. I found one field full of Asclepias viridis in bloom, our state milkweed. There were caterpillars and eggs! This is exciting as there was LOTS of milkweed for the moving Monarchs. And there was quite a bit of nectar present. A different variety of Liatris (maybe microcephala) was just beginning to bloom. The wind was pretty strong, and clouds were moving in, so I didn't see much more than skippers. But, next week, the Liatris should be in full bloom. So, I'll go back.

I missed the peak bloom of the thistle. But, there wasn't as much available this year. Last year the thistle was covered with butterflies, especially Swallowtails. Can't expect conditions to be the same from year to year.

Sandy

Thanks Miss Sherry,

but I believe that title goes to minrose. ;) I did raise a lot but never let the number of feeding cats get to over 16 at a time.

And I bet you will see more monarchs in the coming days since it's really cooling off up north.

Martha, there is still plenty of time for rearing down south. Last year in Minny, my last monarch eclosed October 3 and the last monarch in the garden was oct 8th...they could have made it safely out of here up until about October 15th...that's when the bottom fell out.

Sandy, good luck with all your new babies!

I covered one patch of tropical milkweed and a couple butterfly bushes this evening. The wind is still blowing....hopefully it won't stop till morning.

Oops, you're right, it was minrose, but you're a great monarch raiser, too! :-0
Sherry

Tony, did you guys get a frost last night? I am jealous of your Monarch numbers, but not your cold weather! Not like it's exactly balmy here in the winter either, haha.

Terrene,

Good news! We JUST missed it. There was a little frost on the roofs at sunrise but the ground looked fine. It got down to 36...I think there was frost in a few surrounding rural areas??

The low tonight is 44 and we're on a warming trend. no frost warnings for the foreseeable future and the garden is still in tact. WOOHOO!!

Well thank you, coolbutterfly and misssherry, I have so far, 820 Monarchs eclose, with 2 to eclose today. Another 15 chrysalises to go, with another 2 chrysalises not sure about, not looking how they look. No more, catepillars, have looked but have not seen anymore. I also had 24 Black Swallowtails eclose.
Yeah, I was worried about the freeze but it did not get too bad, it did freeze but not hard enough. It took care alot of the leaves on plants but our pumpkins that we did not get picked, look good as do other things in our vegie garden, yah! I was also worried about my gourds, picked 6 five gallon pails of them so far but the weather looks good for awhile now, so glad. Also glad for the remaining Monarchs to eclose. Sad it is nearing the end, gonna miss my babies.

I don't envy the cold up there, Tony! I lived in Mass. for over a year, and the cold was too soon, too long. One Mass. guy told me the summers are great, all two days of it! lol! That's extreme because the summers are truly lovely up there, and the fall is nothing short of spectacular. People here say our fall is sooooo colorful. That's only because they haven't seen one up North, heehee.

I am seeing quite a number of Monarchs now, and the Journey South reflects large numbers migrating into Oklahoma now. However, I have virtually no Mamas yet except for my 2-egg Mama. Hopefully they will be laying soon.

Susan

Hi Susan,

it does get cold here and this season was short (though we'll have some nice days left)

Last year we were spoiled with an extreme EARLY spring and this year was an extreme LATE spring...I'll settle for average next year.

Because of the weather pattern this year, we are forecast to have the most colorful fall in 10 years...that should be a sight to see!

Soon, I will just have to live vicariously through you southerners and dream of the days monarchs were roosting in my trees. Enjoy the warmth and the butterflies! Tony