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Monarchs
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madelinec-@comcast.net
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Sep 22, 2005 19:17 PDT
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RE: Elise's e-mail about milkweed fields: At Allen's Pond the field is mowed in July, and then a large area mowed in the middle of August. The milkweed from the July mowing is much fresher than the milkweed on the edges that came up in the spring, and then the tiny milkweed that comes up after the August mowing is especially attractive to the female Monarchs. When I went to Allen's Pond in the middle of August, there were lots of caterpillars of all sizes, and lots of Monarch eggs. The milkweed was beautiful in spite of no rain all summer. Whenever I look for eggs there or anywhere else, I find a lot more on the young tender milkweed (although I do find some on some tough beaten-up leaves). So even though July mowing will certainly do in whatever stages there are in the field, the fresher milkweed may more than make up for that. I haven't seen any chrysalises in the field, so that was a good find, Elise.
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