With chrysalises galore, a Swallowtail born, and scads of Monarch and Queen eggs gathered on the Llano River, we felt we covered the whole life cycle this weekend at the Texas Butterfly Ranch. And we love that!
The Swamp Milkweed is just about to bust out into pink blossoms on the Llano–always a harbinger of the Monarch Butterfly Migration.  We expect an interesting season with all the rain we’ve had, although hesitate to predict numbers as those butterflies can be wildly whimsical.  Last year we thought we’d have a deluge, and then?  They took a turn for the Gulf Coast and we only tagged about 20.
Not to worry….the Texas Butterfly Ranch incubator is running at medium throttle with about 20 Monarch Butterfly and Queen eggs in production.  Soon they’ll spin their chrysalises and join the line-up of the beauties like the one pictured, left.  They should hatch within 10 days.
Until then, we’ll continue to enjoy the Eastern Swallowtail harvest, which delighted us this morning with the arrival of this gorgeous visitor.