Hello Monarch Mommas and
Pappas!
Well here we are, nearing the
end of the monarch season.
Reports to Journey South (aka
Journey North) is that the migration has begun in the most northern regions of
the summer breeding grounds.
Overnight roosts of many
monarchs have been reported in Canada, MN and Wi.
The migration is triggered by the angle of the sun, day length, overnight temps and quality of the milkweed.
The migration is triggered by the angle of the sun, day length, overnight temps and quality of the milkweed.
Meaning the mw is beginning
to die for the season or senesce.
When the migration generation
emerges from their pupae they are in a state of diapause.
It is a physical state of sexual dormancy. Mating is an enormous drain of the butterflies, energy.
It is a physical state of sexual dormancy. Mating is an enormous drain of the butterflies, energy.
In order to live through the
migration and winter in Mexico, they do not mate until next March.
This however does not mean
that our rearing time has come to an end. Last year at this time I collected
close to 400 eggs and cats.
So, if you have not found any eggs or if you do not
have caterpillar fatigue…
I urge you to clean those aphids off your milkweed and give your collection on
more week.
I have not found many eggs at home this past week but
I have found quite a few at work.
I am hoping that next weeks’ 80 degree temps will give me my last hundred eggs.
You can spray the aphids off with your hose or squish them first and rinse your plants.
Be sure to look for eggs first.
I am hoping that next weeks’ 80 degree temps will give me my last hundred eggs.
You can spray the aphids off with your hose or squish them first and rinse your plants.
Be sure to look for eggs first.
At this time of the season, you will probably be
seeing a lot of red bugs on your milkweed seed pods.
If you want to save that seed, go out in the garden with a bucket of soapy water and shake the insects into it.
The soapy water will kill them. These are the nymphs (immature) milkweed bugs.
These insects wait until the seed is almost ready then they devour them.
If you want to save that seed, go out in the garden with a bucket of soapy water and shake the insects into it.
The soapy water will kill them. These are the nymphs (immature) milkweed bugs.
These insects wait until the seed is almost ready then they devour them.
Sharing mw seed with lots and lots of people is an important part of my monarch conservation efforts.
If you have seed but no one to share it with, I will take the pods.
If you are going to collect seeds to give away, here
is a short tutorial…
First, the first pods that will pop open and seeds fly
away on the silk will be the lower pods.
Second, the seeds are not ready to harvest until the seeds are coco brown.
So if you are checking pods and they won’t pop open easily they probably are not ready and seeds are still white.
Second, the seeds are not ready to harvest until the seeds are coco brown.
So if you are checking pods and they won’t pop open easily they probably are not ready and seeds are still white.
Third, when collecting pods they should only go in
Paper bags, plastic will cause the pods to mold and spoil the seeds.
Paper allows them to dry naturally. They can be in the garage in a dry place away from mice.
Paper allows them to dry naturally. They can be in the garage in a dry place away from mice.
Fourth, cleaning the seeds is a bit messy but there is
a good method that can be used about 3 weeks into the drying process.
Basically, what you will do is, over a paper bag or some container, open the
pod a little and grasp the pod at the top to hold the silk in.
Then use your thumb to shuck the seeds off the fluff. After that continue letting the seeds dry in a paper bag. After a while put them in a storage container.
Then use your thumb to shuck the seeds off the fluff. After that continue letting the seeds dry in a paper bag. After a while put them in a storage container.
Fifth, sharing your seeds, after they are completely
dry, by Thanksgiving, you can package the in small plastic bags, small #1
envelopes or recycled prescription bottles.
This is a great way to reuse those Rx bottles.
You can send your seeds directly to Monarch Watch, they
grow mw to sell but they also give away a lot to schools and non profits.
Make sure your seed is cleaned, dried, in a Ziploc bag
an sent in tear proof package
http://monarchwatch.org/bring-back-the-monarchs/milkweed/seed-collecting-processing/
http://monarchwatch.org/bring-back-the-monarchs/milkweed/seed-collecting-processing/
Monarch
Watch
University of Kansas
2021 Constant Ave
Lawrence, KS 66047
University of Kansas
2021 Constant Ave
Lawrence, KS 66047
On Sept 21 I will be presenting my Benefits of
Biodiversity lecture at work.
On October 5 I will be hosting a Monarch Season Wrap Up
session. I would love to have as many monarch mommas and pappas as possible
there.
My plan is that we can share our experiences from this season and compare notes. See if we can improve our chances even more next year.
My plan is that we can share our experiences from this season and compare notes. See if we can improve our chances even more next year.
These lectures will be at the Oak View Center in Oak
Lawn and more info about them can be found here. http://www.olparks.com/images/ProgramGuide/Fall/AdultInterests.pdf
My egg and cat. collection is up to 1800 and 544
butterflies released, I have begun separating the little buggers by size so the
cats. don’t eat each other.
I hope my success rate increases.
Dolly
