{"id":4130,"date":"2022-08-31T16:42:34","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T23:42:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eloine.com\/blog\/?p=4130"},"modified":"2022-08-31T17:00:13","modified_gmt":"2022-09-01T00:00:13","slug":"joining-the-monarch-movement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eloine.com\/blog\/archives\/4130","title":{"rendered":"Joining the Monarch Movement!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

This website is primarily about my photography, web design and graphics but being a photographer I think there is this natural love of nature that we feel compelled to document. When I finally saw a monarch (now on the endangered species list<\/strong><\/a>) flutter around my milkweed plants I was ecstatic!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Monarch<\/a>
Monarch butterfly pollinating a common milkweed on a hot August Summer day in California. Shot with a Nikon Z50, 200mm. (high res version available at Shutterstock<\/strong><\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I live in a very arid environment with well water that can even kill morning glory. Yes, the gardeners at the garden club looked at me like I had an alien disease when I said that and moved away from me. These city water drinkers had no concept of what a California well water can be like! Nevertheless I want to do what I can to help these little beauties so even though this is a design blog I will document what I find out on this post as I learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I used to see monarch butterflies every Summer as a kid but at some point I realized I wasn’t seeing them anymore. I actually didn’t see many butterflies at all in this desert landscape but I made sure never to chop down a milkweed knowing it’s the only plant the migrating butterflies can lay their eggs on to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other bugs!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Tarantula Hawk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The monarch is not the only insect that loves the milkweed. This glossy blue\/black fella I see a lot more often! According to Wikipedia<\/strong><\/a> the tarantula hawk “has been awarded second place on the Schmidt sting pain index, beaten only by the South American bullet ant). The pain from a bullet ant sting lasts up to 24 hours, whereas that of a wasp usually only aggravates the unlucky victim for five minutes.<\/em>” I sure don’t want to find out if that’s true! But he seems gets a little high on the nectar and flies around clumsy after feasting for as while, even so, it actually helps the monarch by aiding in the plants pollination<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wasp below I believe is a male because the antenna are straight instead of curled<\/strong><\/a>. As I approached him the wasps circled around my body at least 4 times before settling back on the milkweed as if to say I checked you out and you are not a threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apparently not a threat to a monarch but pretty yucky to read about what happens to the poor tarantula that gets near one<\/strong><\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Male tarantula hawk on a common milkweed. Shot with a Nikon Z50 200mm.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Milkweed bug<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here is the explosion I am dealing with. From what I read it’s not a problem if you don’t have very many but that is not my situation. Too much for pesticide or the dish soap technique. I am toying with the idea of just vacuuming them up<\/strong><\/a>. Anybody got any other environmentally friendly ideas?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Milkweed bugs at various stages
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