Much Milkweed
It is becoming more and more apparent that what pollinators need are more of their plants, and without chemicals! The Monarch butterfly needs milkweed like this in fields and grasslands across America. If you have open space like this please try to do your best to keep them unmowed, unpolluted and full of milkweed plants next year. Manicured and toxic lawns are wastelands for our insects.
Read MoreMonarchs & Monarchs!
Keep the Monarchs coming! These “fall” cold fronts with helpful north winds will be pushing them to migrate just like the birds, so if you have not seen any lately you may end up with some very soon.
Read MoreLate Gray Hairstreak
This is a fresh looking Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus) for early September, likely having emerged recently. You would think it is the middle of the summer considering the extremely hot temperatures as of late. Are you seeing new or additional butterflies in the very warm conditions?
Read MoreMonarch Caterpillar
Here we have a case of the disappearing leaf. The culprit is not too hard to find, and easy enough to identify. This Monarch butterfly caterpillar (Danaus plexippus) is chowing down on swamp milkweed leaves in the bright afternoon sun. Sensational!
Read MoreMore Monarchs
Monarch migration season is heating up! Having an office at likely the best site in all of Connecticut for the species, and one of the best across the Northeast region – Stratford Point – really helps to give us a glimpse of their population. I will be watching them pour through in the next two months while showing you the highlights whenever I can capture them with my lens. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
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