2024 Autumn update

October 30, 2024. The caterpillar that pupated 2 plus weeks ago has still not hatched. The pupa is still green and healthy looking. My young friend Dune sent me an article about Monarch Butterfly decline. https://www.chron.com/life/wildlife/article/texas-monarch-butterflies-19860278.php It is an interesting article and well worth reading. One point the article suggests for the decline people hand rearing monarchs. That seems to me to be a much smaller problem. From doing this for multiple decades, one thing is that humans mistakenly bring caterpillars and pupae indoors. It’s the natural cold of approaching autumn that creates the chemical change that causes them to migrate. Drought is a major problem this year. Moisture is needed for the adults to drink. As well as the general destruction of wildflower stands. Not the milkweed which is for the caterpillars, the adults need the goldenrod, asters, and other native sources of nectar. Chemical toxins and plants that have been engineered to release toxins are also a contributor. General “Chem Lawn” stuff is now in the water supply and causing all sorts of river issues. Thank you for caring about Monarchs!