(no subject)
Sunday's monarch count: 14 eggs, 38 caterpillars. Approximate lengths: 2, 1mm; 6, 1.27mm; 23, 4.76mm; 2, 8mm; 3, 11.11mm; and 2, 14.28mm.
(Handy-dandy mm to inches convertor.)
I need to a) get a tiny ruler or tape in metric, so I can stop converting from inches, and b) take clearer notes as to caterpillar sizes. It took me half an hour to interpret my chicken scratches. (Bending and twisting while keeping my place on the plant stem with one hand and writing on the clipboard with the other makes me careless, especially after my back starts hurting.) There appears to be a learning curve here. Hopefully it won't take the entire cycle to get the data recording consistent.
Anyhow, I'm hoping that the drop in numbers of both eggs and caterpillars from last time (and in general) is at least as much due to bigger cats eating larger cats and eggs as to predation by wasps, diseases and so on.
And, a pleasant surprise I didn't expect: Monday, while looking around for wayward cats, I discovered a fresh green chrysalis! It was under a bench next to the hose reel, which is a good safe place where they've tended to do well. Yay, caterpillar!
In other critter news, the house wren is still popping out to make fussy noises, mostly when Missy ventures out. And an oriole has been singing in the alder tree.
Photos to come, as soon as I get my Flickr account set up.
(Handy-dandy mm to inches convertor.)
I need to a) get a tiny ruler or tape in metric, so I can stop converting from inches, and b) take clearer notes as to caterpillar sizes. It took me half an hour to interpret my chicken scratches. (Bending and twisting while keeping my place on the plant stem with one hand and writing on the clipboard with the other makes me careless, especially after my back starts hurting.) There appears to be a learning curve here. Hopefully it won't take the entire cycle to get the data recording consistent.
Anyhow, I'm hoping that the drop in numbers of both eggs and caterpillars from last time (and in general) is at least as much due to bigger cats eating larger cats and eggs as to predation by wasps, diseases and so on.
And, a pleasant surprise I didn't expect: Monday, while looking around for wayward cats, I discovered a fresh green chrysalis! It was under a bench next to the hose reel, which is a good safe place where they've tended to do well. Yay, caterpillar!
In other critter news, the house wren is still popping out to make fussy noises, mostly when Missy ventures out. And an oriole has been singing in the alder tree.
Photos to come, as soon as I get my Flickr account set up.