Friday, November 17, 2017

Monarchs and No See Ums or Biting Midges

Driving along the coast between Gulf Shores and Pensacola we noticed hundreds of monarch butterflies darting here and there. I didn't get any photos but decided to post previous photos of mine for this post for Barbara who loves monarch butterflies. The speed limit along that part of the coast is 45 mph. Driving less than 45 mph allows the butterflies to waft up and around an auto when encountering the buffer air around a car. I am not sure that is the reason for that speed limit but it's a great benefit to the butterflies. At higher speeds they'd go splat on the windshield or in the grill of auto.

 Here is the caterpillar of the monarch butterfly.

Here is the chrysalis of the monarch. If you see these leave them alone they will turn into a beautiful monarch butterfly.

Now all the news articles say there aren't any no-see-ums here in this area. Gary and I know that's not true. There are an abundance of them and we have been eaten alive. No-see-ums are sand flies or biting midges and they are worse than mosquitoes. The illustration above shows what they look like but they are much smaller in real life almost invisible, hence the term no-see-ums. Reading up on them I found out they can get through a normal sized screen; a screen needs to be much finer to screen them out.

10 comments:

  1. Oh yuk on no-see-ums...how aggravating! Thanks for more info on your siting of Monarchs! They are amazing (in a good way) while no-see-ums are too, in a bad way!

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    1. Hi Barbara, thanks, they are really nasty and itch something terrible, then turn into bruises, ugh.

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  2. I haven't seen a monarch for the last four years! Interesting about the speed limit.

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    1. Hi Joanne, thanks, I never saw them in california till I planted some flowers they like then about two years later I got them, just a few though. I am not sure anyone realizes that but I was so worried I'd hit them and low and behold they just floated up and away.

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  3. I love the Monarch Butterflies. We see them here in Texas - although not as much lately as in past years. (I also love the Black Swallowtails!)

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    1. Hi Rian, thanks, I love all the butterflies and am amazed they find any flowers at all due to their haphazard flight patterns.

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  4. I live the idea of a speed limit to protect (among other things) the flutter-byes.
    Long may they survive and thrive.
    I don't think we get no see ums, but we have our fair share of bitey beasts.

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    1. Hi Sue, thanks, when we lived in Arkansas we went to a butterfly festival which was a lot of fun they have tons of butter flies in the higher locations which aren't really that high there.

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  5. Monarch are called "Wanderer" down this way.

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  6. Hi Lee, thanks, what a great name, I think all butterflies are wanderers.

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