ikristy's Identifications

"Complete life cycle lesson, courtesy of my front yard landscaping!"

• Dawn Chianese

Observation and photos by Dawn Chianese, shared with @NatureinLA.

Originally posted by Dawn on Twitter: @DawnSC9
https://twitter.com/DawnSC9/status/532632964669009920

Durante un recorrido en campo dentro del PN Constitución de 1857, se observaron a dos mariposas monarcas apareándose. se observaron durante un tiempo de 20 min, las cuales se perchaban entre los arboles Además se observo también en el sitio conformado por bosque de pino, la presencia de plantas de Asclepias en concentraciones mas o menos grandes (hasta un grupo de 30 plantas en 2 metros cuadrados).

Monarch chrysalis with "Black Death" syndrome. Usually caused by either a bacterial (Pseudomonas) or viral (Nuclear polyhedrosis) infection.

http://www.learnaboutmonarchs.com/whatisblackdeath.html

Butterfly on blue mist flower. After editing the image and researching, I think this is indeed a monarch. It was flying slowly, rather than flitty (viceroy description). Also the viceroy black lines on the lower wings aren't there. Yea! Although I feel sad that I saw only one, briefly. When we lived in Missouri, we had lots of common milkweed and I watched the caterpillars devour the plants. No milkweed in my Texas garden - yet.