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I hadn't really expected another round of monarchs this late in the year, but the butterflies have decided otherwise. ( continued monarch and nature news, including talk of spiders and a photo of one )

...of keeping on track with rehab.

It's been a little rocky. ( If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. Only NOT )

Missy is still doing well. She’s acting normally, which is to say, constantly coming up with new ways to annoy and entertain us. At her last vet visit, instead of cowering under the towel and snuggling against Mommy, as she usually does, she came out and looked around with big eyes. To our amazement she actually jumped off the table and explored ( Read more... )

Monarch count today: 28 eggs, 60 caterpillars. 59 of the cats ranged from about 3-4mm; one was about 31mm. That's 22 fewer eggs than three days ago, but only 5 more cats. The 31mm cat has got to be one of the ones that were 25mm on Monday, but the other two are gone. Aside from that, how many eggs hatched into caterpillars, how many died, and how ( Read more... )

Latest monarch count on Monday, June 17: 50 eggs, 55 caterpillars. That's 38 more cats than on the 14th, but 86 fewer eggs. Obviously not all of the eggs are going to make it to hatching, but considering that adults are still showing up to lay additional eggs, and that most of the cats this time were 3mm or less, it's not a good sign. I hadn't seen ( Read more... )

More stats on the monarchs.

Wednesday, June 12: 138 eggs, 14 caterpillars.

Friday, June 14: 116 eggs, 17 caterpillars. Six had just hatched (about 1mm long); one was so new it was still eating its empty egg case. (Here's a photo.) Two were 44.5mm (1-3/4"), and the rest ranged from 9.5mm (3/8") to 22.2mm (7/8 ( Read more... )

It's been hot and dry and a little bit windy, but the monarch caterpillars are coming along. I'm doing a few counts ( Read more... )

OMG OMG OMG. BUTTERFLIES EVERYWHERE ( Read more... )

My concerns were unfounded; both camera and macrolens appear to be A-OK. YAY! Here be photos.( Nine pics. WARNING: spiders )