Slowing It Down

Friday afternoons are meant for porch sitting and just “hanging” around -

Breaking in new coozies -

And some delicious pizza 🍕 -

#Blessed

A Famous Insect Visitor

First Monarch caterpillar at the ole homestead!

Being aware of milkweed plants and mowing around them instead of cutting them down has paid off for this on-the-cusp of being endangered beauty, and hoping future caterpillars -

Although, I was only able to locate this one, I’m hoping there’s more that I either missed or perhaps eggs yet to have hatched -

I opted to take this dude to the local

JC Monarch butterfly guru, my cousin PJ, to ensure its safety and successful metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly and release -

Although, sadly, there was only this lonely single Monarch caterpillar, there are oodles of Milkweed Tussock caterpillars -

And I mean oodles of them -

Like the monarchs, they eat milkweed, and also dogbane. What has me worried, since there are SO many of these dudes, is that they’ll take over, eat up and skeletonize the milkweed, leaving little food for future monarch caterpillars.

I’ll need to keep an eye on this. I would hate to intervene but will jump in if other monarch caterpillars appear and the milkweed plants are dwindling.

Will They Come?

I've had milkweed growing along my side yard for several years now.  Of course I leave them be, even the ones that have started growing into the lawn, all in the hopes of attracting Monarch butterflies and their caterpillars.

Last year a couple milkweed plants sprouted in a flower bed inside the pool fence.  Again, I let them be and this year LOOK at my reward - oodles and oodles of them!

As you can see these are doing really well, which is because they have full sun for most of the late morning and all afternoon!  I also have plenty on the side yard again this year but they don't get as much sun, so are on the smaller side.

Invasive perhaps, but either way, I couldn't be happier that they've taken so well, keep coming back year after year, even if they're taking over in some places.

Fingers, and toes, are crossed in the hopes they finally attract Monarchs!

First Frye Monarch Caterpillar!

I spied my first Monarch caterpillar ever here at the ole homestead!

Oddly enough it wasn't on one of my milkweed plants, rather it was climbing on the wire fence.  Of course, thinking I was helping I moved it to one of the milkweeds but it was too fidgety and made it's way to the ground rather quickly - 

Here is a short video of the dude off and in search of something - 

My assumption is that this dude was searching for a suitable place where it could make it's chrysalis.  I'll poke around in that area again to see if I can spot the chrysalis.

Here are just some of the milkweed plants I have this year.  They've really done well and are taking over, which I luv! 

There are oodles of seed pods coming along too, so hopefully there will be even more plants that pop up!

I've searched the plants but yet to see any signs of spot any additional caterpillars but I'll keep looking  Hoping they are more out there and I'm just not spotting them.  Fingers crossed.

Visiting Monarch

Very pleased to have a Monarch butterfly visiting our flower gardens this past weekend!  A very healthy looking female who was not camera shy at all!

Sadly, I don't see too many of these beauties now a days.

Hoping to see more of her and many more...

Well It's About Time!

All I can say is finally!

Took till September 21 before I saw the first Monarch Butterfly visiting the ole homestead. Seemed to be enjoying this lavender Butterfly Bush, one of many that we have throughout our yard.

Not sure what the hold up is but this dude best be moving along if Mexico's in the plan.