A Monarch Spring

Male Monarch nectaring on Calotropis procera

Monarch butterflies ruled the skies in the Phoenix area this Spring and they continue to steal the show as temperatures soar. While monarchs are more common in the Fall and in mild Winters, Spring sightings are more unusual. But our extremely mild temps in January and February created perfect breeding conditions this year for monarch butterflies to flourish.

Monarch pupae 4/19/12

One generation eclosed in late February and early March, another in late April and early May.  A few of the monarchs lingered rather than heading north on their spring migration. I marked some and noted a few were still in my yard three weeks later. When I noticed wasps harvesting the monarch caterpillars to feed to their young, I collected 96 fourth and fifth instars into a large cage to help their odds of survival. This is one of the corners of the cage when they formed their chrysalids.

Monarch pupae

When our first 100 degree day in Phoenix arrived in April and forecasters predicted 104 the next day, I decided to bring the pupae inside. At a conference a few years ago, I talked to Dr. Karen Oberhauser of the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project about the effect of high temperatures on monarch larvae. In her studies she found that high temperatures of 104 and above were often fatal to caterpillars. While the temperatures were held constant in her study, unlike our cooler dry desert nights even when reach 100+ temps during the day, I didn't want to take any chances.
 
We found pupae around the yard in some pretty funny places wherever we looked, like this one on a piece of wood....

...or on an irrigation valve...

...or on the propane tank when we went to light the grill. We found them on the back of chairs, hanging from the patio cover, hanging even from a tablecloth!

We were very fortunate that of  96 pupae, 94 new monarchs eclosed well over several days in May.

05-14-12

This morning I stepped out to water the milkweed in pots under a tree. With temps climbing to over 100 degrees again, I thought I'd look once again for larvae. I found five fourth and fifth instars....

...then a female monarch flew in and laid more eggs, oblivious to my presence. So, the cycle begins again. Never before have I seen monarch egg-laying so late in the year here in the desert. Most may not survive with our sizzling temps the next few days. But since the beginning of this year just over 300 new monarchs did. It is definitely a monarch butterfly Spring!

Plant Sales in the Air - Help the Monarchs!

A few days ago I was working in the yard when this ragged male monarch butterfly arrived. His faded, ripped wings stood in sharp contrast to the many freshly eclosed monarchs around. He had quite an attitude zipping around, trying to drive out the other butterflies. How many monarchs would choose to rest on the top of a fence to have a good view over the territory? Then I remembered how close we are to the time of the Spring Migration. Monarchs should be arriving soon from both from Mexico and California passing through Arizona. They are already spotted in Southern Texas. What better way to get ready for their visit than to infuse your Monarch Waystation with new milkweeds and nectar with all the plant sales beginning this week?

Male Monarch

Start your plant list with the new Low Desert Monarch Waystation publication we just created on the SW Monarch Study web page. You'll find milkweeds that grow well here as well as recommended nectar sources. You can find photos of milkweed on the site as well. 

Red Admiral

 Many nurseries recommend Butterfly Bush but seasoned gardeners in the low deserts find it doesn't grow well here and it is not included on the list. Our summer heat is insurmountable for some species. But, I did find one Butterfly Bush that thrives here with afternoon shade - a definite keeper. It is a cultivar only available and created at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. The pale Spring lilac blooms are profuse and fragrant - and covered with butterflies. This morning I found eight butterflies feasting  including several monarchs, red admirals (three on the plant this morning!), queens, gulf fritillaries, and a West Coast Lady. Plus hummingbirds love it, too!

So take a few moments and visit some of the upcoming Spring Plant Sales for great selections for your garden:

• Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior:  March 10 to 25 (Members only March 9)
• Desert Survivors in Tucson:  March 10 to 18 (Members only), March 17 & 18 (Public)
• Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix: March 16 (Members only), March 17 & 18 
• Tohono Chul in Tucson:  March 31 & April 1

If you'd like to learn more about the exciting monarch migration through Arizona stop by the SW Monarch Study table this weekend at the Tres Rios Nature Festival at the Estrella Mountain Regional Park near Phoenix. We'll have great educational information as well as activities for children.

If you are a teacher, scout or 4-H leader, anyone interested in learning more about monarch butterflies in Arizona sign up for Monarch Educator Workshop at the Valley Verde Birding and Nature Festival in Cottonwood on Saturday, April 28. This is a great opportunity to learn more details about the monarch life cycle, the migration through Arizona and monarch citizen science opportunities.

You can also see up to the minute news about monarchs on the Southwest Monarch Study Facebook page. This is a public page - you don't need a Facebook account to access.

The SW Monarch Study also has a discussion group to share monarch related sightings and new studies in more detail. You can learn more about this group and join here.

Time To Plan Your Monarch Waystation

Female Monarch on Arizona Milkweed, Asclepias angustifolia

It's March 1 and our official last frost date for the Phoenix area - now we can dream about trimming overgrown bushes and Spring planting. Spruce up your Monarch Waystation with fresh, new milkweeds and add some perennial nectar sources as well as your annual favorites. Its easy to go overboard both in trimming and planting this time of year, so take a few moments to plan now before the Spring Plant Sales around town begin next week.

Queen larva in "J"

Be careful when trimming back existing plants. Our warm winter was perfect for both monarch and queen butterflies to stay around town and now they are breeding. While making room for some new annuals, I luckily spotted this queen larva in a "J" formation hidden under a leaf. Now it is a beautiful pupa. Both queen and monarch larvae can wander 30 feet or more from the milkweed they devoured. Look for them in dangerous places, too. I rescued two from my pool right on the water and another floating down the rocky stream in my pond towards the pump.

Scalped Desert Milkweed, Asclepias subulata

Restrain yourself when using new sheers or power trimmers. More is not necessarily best. Native milkweeds do not need sheering. I've seen more scalping of desert milkweed by well meaning people lately. The new growth that occurs is usually only a fraction of the old plant and often is too weak to even support hungry larvae. Plus pruning plants now mean you'll miss the unique opportunity for spring egg-laying by both monarch and queen butterflies this year.

Desert Milkweed, Asclepias subulata

Instead, water all milkweeds more frequently for the next month to encourage fresh growth after our dry winter. Female monarchs frequently lay eggs on fresh new "leaves" and this is the perfect food for the tiny caterpillars. They usually cannot chew the thicker milkweed stalks until they are 4th and 5th instar larvae. More water will encourage a quicker bloom and females will often lay their eggs on the flowers as well.

Monarch larvae

In case you are wondering if there are many monarchs around to visit your yard, rest assured there are plenty! After our warm spell in early January a female came through and laid over 100 eggs in my yard. With the gusty, high winds this week I brought a few inside.

First monarch of spring!

Earlier just over 20 monarchs eclosed and today alone ten new butterflies did also. So, yes, there will be plenty of monarchs around town this spring based on what I am seeing!

Get your garden ready and enjoy the butterflies that visit. Join us (Southwest Monarch Study) on a Field Trip this Saturday to Desert Survivor's Plant Nursery in Tucson. The tour will be led by Nursery Director Jim Verrier and you'll learn how to grow the best Monarch Waystation and Butterfly Garden in the desert. Meet in the parking lot (1020 West Starr Pass Boulevard) at 9:30. We'll have Monarch Waystation brochures and planting information available to start your list. We will also have a carpool from the Phoenix area meeting at Papago Buttes Church of the Brethren, 2450 N. 64th Street in Scottsdale. (Northwest corner of 64th St & Oak.) Meet at 7:15 a.m. - we leave promptly at 7:30 a.m. Bring a sack lunch, water and snacks.

You can also plan ahead and download our SW Monarch Study publication: Low Desert Monarch Waystations. We'll be creating publications for other elevations in Arizona soon. Jim Verrier will share information at Desert Survivors about milkweeds he has for higher elevations as well.

Breeding Monarch Butterflies in Phoenix - in January?

Female monarch feeding on tithonia

Seeing monarch butterflies around town? Monarch butterflies are out and about all over the greater Phoenix area with the warmer weather this winter. This week monarchs were spotted flying in Anthem while others were found in Ahwatukee. People are delighted and excited to find these graceful creatures fluttering and feeding in their yards.While parts of the Valley experienced a light dusting of  frost a few weeks ago, there are still plenty of flowers available for nectar, too.

Laying eggs on Arizona Milkweed, Asclepias angustifolia

 More unusual is finding monarch caterpillars in January - or monarchs laying eggs. Monarch butterflies are tropical by nature and undergo their long migration in the fall to spend the winter in Mexico or the coast of California. Their migration is influenced by the angle of the sun and other factors. But  monarchs that eclose in late November or December lose this celestial affect, so they often spend the winter in mild climates like we have in Phoenix. Monarchs in winter are usually in state of reproductive diapause  - they are not mating or laying eggs as a survival mechanism this time of year until Spring. How diapause works is not completely understood in monarchs.  Some scientists feel it is controlled by temperatures, others by the presence of milkweed (monarch host plant) or length of day.  Since September I've enjoyed monarch butterflies in my yard but haven't noted any egg-laying since the early days of November. This week that changed - I spotted this female (eclosed December 30th, tagged #60400) laying eggs on every milkweed she could find in my yard.

Dr. Chip Taylor, Director of Monarch Watch, explains: "Migratory monarchs are in what is known as reproductive diapause. This simply means that the butterflies have suspended reproduction. This condition is very labile, that is to say, easily broken. The non-reproductive condition is probably maintained by a balance of hormones (specifically one called "juvenile hormone" that triggers reproduction) and enzymes that break down this hormone. The diapause system breaks down, i.e.reproduction starts, when the butterflies are exposed to winter temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s over a few days. Warm nights and days accelerate the process. Monarchs can go from being non-reproductive to being ready to lay eggs in 4-5 days. Some of my colleagues believe that the presence of milkweeds in the winter is sufficient to trigger reproduction. Perhaps, but it is difficult to design experiments that separate a response to plants from that of temperature alone. Our experiments suggest that low temperature is both the main initiator and maintainer of diapause in monarchs. Once in diapause, monarchs exhibit a number of behaviors that seem to be designed to keep their body temperature and metabolism from becoming elevated. Once butterflies in transit become reproductive, the behavior shifts from migratory to local, mating occurs and females begin looking for milkweed plants."
 

Monarch egg on Desert Milkweed, Asclepias subulata.

Remember our warm temps reaching the low 80's the first days of January? They could easily have triggered some monarchs to break diapause, mate and lay eggs around town. So, check your milkweed and look and enjoy the breeding monarchs that visit your yard. As long as we avoid a hard freeze we may delight in finding new monarch caterpillars soon!

Phoenix Area Monarch Butterflies

Late Wednesday afternoon Bob and I went out to cover our plants for one more night of possible freezing temperatures. As I walked by the Sweet Almond tree, Aloysia virgata, I saw a flutter of orange on the ground - a freshly eclosed male monarch attempting its first flight. The temperatures were already dropping and its wings were not fully hardened. As I looked up at the tree, I spotted this dark monarch chrysalis. The previous night the temperatures dipped to 31 degrees and I wasn't sure if the chrysalis was viable so I brought it inside. (The monarch eclosed two hours later successfully.) As I lifted the frost cover in another part of the yard to cover more plants another freshly eclosed monarch flapped its wings in greeting! All this activity is so rare for the end of December in the Phoenix area.

12-28-11

Last week I shared that a female monarch #60061 tagged on 11/19 (eclosed 11/18) in my backyard was seen in Kino Bay, Sonora on 12/14 by Gail Rochlin. Scientists have learned that temperatures and sun angle are important triggers of the monarch migration among other factors.  The celestial influence weakens in late November and most directional flight ceases by the beginning of December. Here you can see monarch #60421 tagged in my yard on 11/25 (eclosed 11/24) sunning and later nectaring on tithonia still in my yard yesterday. That is a difference of only six days of when they eclosed. The sun angle for #60061 was 37.31. The sun angle for #60421 was 35.99. One migrated. One stayed. There likely isn't an exact migration cut-off date or maybe one of these bugs just didn't read the "how to migrate rules" to follow. Just interesting stuff.

With warming temperatures climbing to the mid-70's for the next week we will hopefully see more butterfly activity. Check out the activity we saw at Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area in Phoenix yesterday: 

If you decide to visit Rio Salado, please stay on the trails and enjoy this natural wonder. Touching, capturing or removal of monarch butterflies, or future eggs, larvae or pupae is prohibited by law and hidden cameras are recording the area for the preservation of the habitat.

We've had a cool December in the Phoenix area and many people are still reporting monarch larvae, pupae and adults around town in Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, Mesa and Ahwatukee. Monarchs are tropical by nature and are affected by freezing temperatures. Unless we have a hard freeze there is a chance some of these monarchs may survive our winter this year. (The National Weather Service Winter Outlook  gives a glimpse of the next few months in Arizona.) It's a good idea to keep some of the favorite nectar plants of monarchs around to encourage them to visit your yard on warm, sunny days. Besides lantana and verbena which can look a bit cold stressed this time of year, look for some of these nectar favorites still available in local nurseries:

 Fern-leaf Lavender, Lavandula minutolli
(Monarchs are picky about lavenders - this is the only lavender we see them use for nectar.)

Marigolds, Tagetes spp.

Baja Fairy Duster, Calliandra californica

Calendulas, Calendula spp.

 

Monarch Butterfly From Chandler, AZ Flies to Kino Bay, Sonora, MX

Female monarch nectaring on Asclepias subulata

Fall in the Phoenix area is an exciting time to watch a new monarch butterfly emerge from its chrysalis. It takes several hours for its wings to harden to be able to fly. As the season progresses, sometimes I wait until the following day before tagging them with the blue tag of the SW Monarch Study and sending them on their way. So on November 19 that is just what I did. The day before a beautiful female monarch was born and on the 19th I affixed tag #60061 to her wing and wished her well on her journey. She stayed around feeding on the nectar of flowers in my garden for a few days and then left my yard like over 100 other monarchs before her. I always wonder, where will this one go? The SW Monarch Study has learned that monarch butterflies migrating through Arizona fly to both the overwintering sites in Mexico and also to the coast of California. But despite tagging thousands of monarchs, very few have ever been recovered.

On Wednesday, December 14, Gail Rochlin of Tucson was enjoying her condo in Kino Bay, Sonora, Mexico. She saw a monarch nectaring on a plentiful bank of flowering bouganvillea. Gail spotted a blue tag and was able to read the number #60061 and contacted me. Little did I know at the time this monarch came from my own backyard. You can see where #60061 flew on the map of the SW Monarch Study recoveries.

Gail Rochlin learned about the Southwest Monarch Study at a talk I gave at the Tucson Botanical Garden in Tucson last year. So when she saw the blue tag, she immediately emailed me. I was excited to hear of a recovery in Mexico - then thrilled when I learned this monarch came from my own backyard!

It is unusual to see a monarch migrate so late in the season. Migration is influenced by temperature and celestial orientation (sun angle) as well as other cues. Most monarchs stop their migrational movement by the first week of December so it is likely this female had been in the Kino Bay area for the past week. The celestial influence decreases by the end of November, although exactly when is unclear. We looked at the temperatures, wind speed and direction from the time #60061 was tagged in Chandler through the beginning of December and could find nothing that would push her to Kino Bay nor draw her there. The cool temperatures during the time period would likely keep this butterfly in reproductive diapause, common for migrating monarch butterflies during the winter months. Gail Rochlin said this monarch was in good condition when she spotted her. A breeding monarch would likely have faded wings by this time from laying eggs under the leaves of milkweed plants in the area. A special thank you to Dr. Chip Taylor of Monarch Watch for his keen educator questions to help us understand a little more about this unique recovery. He also pointed out that the route this monarch flew was very rugged and likely offered little nectar along the way.

Male monarch nectaring on tithonia

If you would like to create a Monarch Waystation in your yard, pick up a copy of the January issue of Phoenix Home and Garden magazine. Our monarch haven is the backyard garden feature for the month. You can also see a shorter version of the article in this link: Phoenix Home & Garden Monarch Garden If you create a milkweed banquet, the monarchs will come!

Rio Salado Monarch Habitat Restoration

We arrived early, just as the sun evaporated the last of the night from the sky. Gathering from near and far, carrying picks and shovels, we walked in the early dawn light down the hill. We came to restore what had once been a thriving winter habitat for a small number of monarch butterflies each year. Last July a fire reduced the area to ashes, destroying the canopy of trees that protected the visiting monarchs from the extreme temperatures here in the desert.

 Riparian trees are not easy to buy in Arizona. So Lynn Krabbe and Bruce Kilbride volunteered to haul trees and other plants from Desert Survivor's Nursery.  The four of us (including Bob) spent most of a day driving to and from Tucson with a trailer and 40 pots. Desert Survivor's also donated twenty fabric recyclable bags to the volunteers helping that day.

Twenty-eight volunteers arrived to start healing the habitat that chilly Friday morning. Budget cuts limited the availability of Rio Salado staff, so we reached out to the Master Gardeners, Sierra Club and other members of the community interested in monarch conservation. Their excitement and enthusiasm warmed our hearts and we completed the planting in record time, twice as fast as we had planned.

 The digging wasn't always easy but the rocky river terrain and steep slopes didn't stand in their way.

When we finished we worked with city workers to make sure irrigation lines were in place. Then we gave all the new trees and shrubs a deep drink.

 The day before, eight fresh and new monarch butterflies eclosed from their chrysalis in my yard in Chandler. To celebrate our planting day,  I brought them to Rio Salado and one by one everyone present helped us tag each butterfly with their own unique number of the Southwest Monarch Study. We also tested each one for Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, O.e., a disease unique to monarch and queen butterflies. This will be sent to Monarch Health to be part of a national study.

We hope many of the monarchs will spend the winter at Rio Salado. Earlier taggings by the Southwest Monarch Study show Arizona monarchs fly to Mexico and California during their migration. But a few in November always stay at Rio Salado. Further taggings and study may help us learn why.

Thank you to the 28 volunteers, the city staff at Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area and the many people behind the scenes that are keeping a bit of wilderness alive in the greater Phoenix area.

Monarchs are Plentiful Around Town

Gracin & Noah 10-30-11

North winds usually open the gate for monarch butterflies and last week was no exception. Monarchs were the talk of the town as sightings of these delightful creatures surged. Nature lovers in Mesa, Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale and Wickenburg were reporting sightings and a few were still seeing females laying eggs. Our warm Fall temperatures likely triggered some monarchs to break their non-reproductive state typical of the migration into creating another generation. Chrissy netted a monarch to tag in Wickenburg then took this photo of her son, Noah, and neighbor, Gracin, cherishing their close encounter with their monarch before it flew on its way.

Photo by Debbie Blunt 10-28-11

Earlier Debbie Blunt spotted a monarch at the Wickenburg Community Hospital. A few days later she spotted another.

 

Last Thursday I found two monarch caterpillars devouring Desert Milkweed, Asclepias erosa, outside the Butterfly Pavilion at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. Earlier in the morning a large queen caterpillar larvae joined them.

10-31-1

Again in my backyard I found a female laying eggs on Halloween. She was almost on the pool deck trying to find the perfect leaf she targeted on this milkweed.



If you have milkweed in your yard but you aren't sure if you have any monarch caterpillars, look for their "signs."  While you can't look for footprints like you can for animals, you can look for leaves that are chewed or slight skeletonizing of leaves. Usually small caterpillars are munching on the under side. Or look at the ground near your plants. In this photo you can see caterpillar droppings (poop) we eloquently call "frass." 

If you follow the frass up you can often find the "culprit" to enjoy.

I also received questions wondering about the survival of the monarchs in our fierce wind storm last Friday with gusts over 50 mph. I found two monarchs visiting the flowers in my yard on Saturday and Sunday and they looked pretty good. Others are saying the same. The cooler weather should put a lid on breeding around town and the developmental stages will also slow in response, too. Enjoy these last days of the monarch season.

Monarch Butterflies in the Phoenix Area

Laura's monarch 10-25-11

Laura called me yesterday excited to see a female monarch butterfly laying eggs in her yard in Scottsdale. She was sitting on the ground looking at her milkweed searching for caterpillars, when a female appeared and eagerly looked for the perfect spot to lay her eggs. Monarch butterflies usually lay their eggs on the under side of a milkweed leaf, often on the newest and freshest growth. Funny thing, I was watching the same thing in my yard.
 

10-23-11

On Sunday morning this ragged-winged lady visited my yard laying eggs on every available milkweed. It seems like the same monarch was laying more eggs yesterday on Arizona Milkweed, Asclepias angustifolia, near my house. She flew in early and nectared on lantana and zinnias, then began choosing her milkweeds for a  future generation. The only problem is this is really late in the season for this kind of behavior. The usual life cycle of egg-larva-pupa-adult is about 30 days and it is all temperature controlled. With our cooler weather finally arriving today it can take longer. By now most monarchs are arriving or near their overwintering homes near Mexico City or the coast of California.

Reports of monarchs in the Phoenix area are the highest we have heard in recent years. But they are later than usual. Everyone seems to have hungry monarch caterpillars in their yards. If you have milkweed, check your plants for small areas of skeletonizing on your leaves or small holes - often there is a tiny caterpillar chewing there.

Laura's third instar monarch caterpillar

 Earlier in the day Laura found this third instar monarch larva in her yard. By the different sizes we know more than one female likely visited her yard. I know I have seen at least six female monarchs laying eggs in my yard since the beginning of September. While usually I have around 20 monarch caterpillars in a good year, this year I am now over 125 caterpillars! Just amazing. And Tatsuyo on South Mountain is over 100 already. These numbers are extraordinary in the Sonoran Desert.

Asclepias angustifolia

Monarch larvae are vulnerable to many predators. While a female monarch may lay up to 400 eggs in her lifetime, only about 10% will complete the full life-cycle to an adult butterfly. Ants can eat eggs, parasitic wasps can lay their eggs in the caterpillar itself, wasps can harvest the larvae to feed their young. I always try to protect a few caterpillars on one-gallon potted plants in a simple mesh laundry basket on my back patio to increase their chances of survival.

To transfer tiny caterpillars easily, either cut the leaf and move it to the new plant or use a soft, firm brush to easily move them.

Keep your eyes out for monarch pupa in odd places around the yard. Sometimes you can find them where you least expect them. Often caterpillars will wander up to 30 feet away to pupate.

Monarch sightings are higher than usual in Scottsdale, along the Salt River channel, and South Mountain. Monarchs are already reported in Yuma and Tucson, too. Of course you can also see monarch butterflies at the exhibit at the Desert Botanical Garden until mid-November.
 
Keep your eyes open for blue-tagged monarchs. Many have been tagged by the Southwest Monarch Study around town to monitor their migration movements throughout the state.  We are all citizen-scientists and by our keen eyes we can help better understand the monarch migration through Arizona.