Roll call of monarch caterpillars today in a milkweed bed in a Vacaville pollinator garden.
Secretary: "Caterpillar No. 1!"
"Present."
Secretary: "Caterpillar No. 2!"
"Present!"
Secretary: "Caterpillar No. 3!"
"Present!"
Secretary: "Caterpillar No. 4!"
"Here!"
Secretary: "Caterpillar No. 5!"
"Ditto!"
Secretary: "Roll call complete. All present and accounted for. At ease, 'cats!"
Winter begins Dec. 21, but it seems like winter right now, what with the freezing cold, rain and wind. Meanwhile, the monarch fall breeding has ended, and it's doubtful these 'cats will make it to chrysalids.
"The suppression of reproductive diapause, which I hypothesize is due to warming in autumn, especially at night, will spread winter breeding inland anywhere where host plants are available in winter!" observes UC Davis distinguished professor emeritus Art Shapiro of the Department of Evolution and Ecology. He's been monitoring butterfly populations in California since 1972 and maintains a research website at https://butterfly.ucdavis.edu.
How many 'cats will be present for the next roll call?
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