Author: Suzanne

Maria Sibylla Merian ((1647–1717) ) was a pioneering entomologist and naturalist who was the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. Maria was trained as an artist under her stepfather in Nuremberg. Fascinated by butterflies and moths from an early age, she studied the insect life cycle through the animals she found in local fields and gardens, recording her discoveries in meticulous watercolors and prints. She had started to collect insects as an adolescent. At age 13, she raised silkworms.

After more than fifteen years of marriage to a fellow artist and the birth of two daughters, Merian left her husband. She began to support herself by selling watercolors of insects, fruit, and flowers, eventually establishing an art business in Amsterdam with her daughters, Johanna Helen and Dorothea Maria.

Maria documented moths and butterflies in various stages of metamorphosis, describing in great detail the colors, forms, and timing of each stage. Through her studies, research, and paintings, and by taking a more ecological approach to the study, Maria was able to demonstrate that caterpillars went through a metamorphosis, and did not reproduce via spontaneous generation from decaying matter, as was the common thought of the day. In 1679, Merian published the first volume of a two-volume series on caterpillars; the second volume followed in 1683. Each volume contained 50 plates that she engraved and etched. Merian documented evidence on the process of metamorphosis and the plant hosts of 186 European insect species. Along with the illustrations Merian included descriptions of their life cycles.

Growing tired of the limited specimens available to her in Amsterdam, Maria sold everything she had in 1699 and, with her youngest daughter in tow, set sail for the Dutch colony of Suriname in South America. The weather was hot and humid, and although the jungles were teeming with live specimens for her to study, it was a dangerous place to be. However, with her keen observation skills, Maria discovered much about the insects, climate, plants, and animals of the area. She also observed the Dutch treatment of slaves, which provided the world with an in-depth historical account of daily life in Suriname at the time. Two years into her research there, Maria became sick with malaria and that, coupled with the hot climate, caused her to return to Amsterdam. Once back there, she published her influential work on her findings as Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium.

Maria revolutionized the field of entomology with her detailed and beautiful illustrations, and helped to put the field of entomology on a more established foundation. Because her works were published in German and not Latin, this allowed larger numbers of ordinary people to more easily access her research. Her books were so popular that there were 19 editions published between 1665 and 1771. The Russian Tsar Peter I, who admired Maria, hung a portrait of her in his study, while Johann Wolfgang von Goethe marveled at her ability to simultaneously depict both science and art in her paintings. Her picture once adorned the 500 Deutschmark note, as well as finding its way onto many German stamps. Many schools have been named after Maria, as well as a modern research vessel that was launched in Germany. Additionally, six plants, two beetles, and nine butterflies have been named in her honor. (https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/maria-sibylla-merian-famous-scientists-in-history.html)

I first learned about Maria Sibylla Merian in a wonderfully illustrated and well-written book called The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science by Joyce Sidman. A delightful book written for children ages 10-14, I found it an interesting read as an adult and began find out more about this fascinating and courageous woman.

There are many resources on the Internet where you can learn more details about Maria Sibylla Merian as well as see many of her illustrations. One of the best is located at Royal Collection Trust where you can explore her works at the Royal Collection located in Buckingham Palace.

There are many books written for both older and younger children. Here are my two favorites:

And just for fun Maria Merian’s Butterflies Coloring Book: Drawings from the Royal Collection.

The chrysalises of some butterflies are like miniature golden ornaments. The Orange-spotted Tiger Clearwing (Mechanitis polymnia) and Common Crow (Euploea core) are two types of butterflies that create these beautiful gold chrysalises. In fact, the word ¨chrysalis” is derived from the Greek word ¨chrysos¨ meaning ¨gold.¨

These shiny, metallic-looking chrysalises are thought to help protect the growing butterfly by fooling potential predators. The shiny chrysalises might look like water droplets on leaves. Or, they just might be so shiny that they reflect their surrounding areas like a mirror. Many reflective organisms like that end up being more camouflaged in their natural habitats because the reflections reflect their surroundings, e.g. chrysalis sitting in a green forest surrounded by green leaves ends up looking green.

For hungry animals that get too close, the mirror effect might also be enough scare them off. Birds, lizards and other visual hunters like jumping spiders scour native plants for prey, and reflected movement (or the sudden appearance of their own reflected form) would likely initiate a bail sequence.

These shiny structures, even though they look like they are made of metal are actually made of chitin, the same substance that gives some insects like beetles their shiny look. Read more here: https://askentomologists.com/2016/12/08/striking-gold/

Most native milkweed seeds require cold stratification in order to germinate and grow into healthy plants. What does that mean?

Cold Stratification is a cold, moist period that breaks seed dormancy. In nature, this process occurs in winter, keeping seeds from germinating until conditions are more ideal in the spring. Milkweed and other perennials (plants that live for several years) are more likely to require cold stratification. Cold stratification is very important for the germination and growth of native milkweeds.

Without prolonged exposure to cold temperatures, your milkweed seed is unlikely to sprout. In the wild, seed dormancy is usually overcome by the seed spending time in the ground through a winter period and having its hard seed coat softened by frost and weathering action. By doing so the seed is undergoing a natural form of “cold stratification”.

Can I just scatter milkweed seeds? You can. That’s how nature does it. But, if you want the plants in a certain place or better odds of germination, they will need your help.

Fall Sowing

If you live where it freezes in the winter, late fall is a good time for direct sowing milkweed seeds outdoors. The benefit is that nature provides the winter conditions needed to stratify the seeds and expose them to cold and moist conditions. The alternating freeze and thaw of winter helps break down the seed coat and starts the growing process. Once the sun comes out and the ground is warm in the spring, the seeds will germinate on their own.

Winter Sowing

Winter sowing is another method that allows Mother Nature to cold stratify milkweed seeds. Winter sowing is the process where seeds are sowed outdoors in the winter, typically in milk jug, or any other plastic container with a lid. The plastic containers act like a mini greenhouse and prevent the seeds from drying out and protect the seeds from hungry critters. Winter sowing works best in USDA Zones 4-8.

Click here to read more about winter sowing milkweed seeds: http://butterfly-lady.com/winter-sowing-milkweed-seeds/

Spring Sowing

If you want to wait until spring to plant your seeds you will need to be sure that you cold stratify your seeds inside the refrigerator for at least 45 days. The simplest is to put seeds in moist soil or peat and store in an old refrigerator. If you don’t want soil in your refrigerator, you can also layer seeds between moist paper towels in a plastic container or Ziploc bag in your crisper, keeping them cold for a minimum of three weeks and up to three months.

You can get a head start and plant the seeds indoors in containers after they have been cold stratified in the refrigerator. Milkweed seeds can be direct sown in spring, but transplants have better success. Fill pots or trays with light, well-drained soil. I strongly suggest using Pro Seed Starting Mix Contains that contains MYCOACTIVE, a proprietary formula to stimulate vigorous growth. Add the seeds and press down onto the soil. You do not need to cover the seeds but if you do, do so with just an eighth of an inch of soil. Keep soil moist and pots in a sunny, warm spot or under grow lights until the seeds germinate.

The seeds will take approximately 10 days to germinate. Once there are four true leaves on the seedlings (the seedlings will be approximately three inches tall), the plants can be transplanted into your garden once the danger of frost has passed.

Most milkweed species do best in full sunlight, so choose an open area with lots of sun so clear a patch in a sunny spot, giving each plant plenty of room to spread its roots. Water frequently until your plants are established.

Click here for more detailed information on planting seeds in the spring: http://butterfly-lady.com/planting-seeds-in-spring/

Good luck with your milkweed seeds and let us know how it goes!

Last week I saw some videos of roosting monarchs posted by Jackie Huggins in the Monarchs, Swallowtails, Moths, Beasts and Blooms! Facebook group.  She commented, “I have been all over Michigan in the last week and a half looking for roosting monarch potential. Based on this year’s maps as well as my own sightings, the westside of Michigan is the prime location this year!”

I was quite excited to read this because I was on my way to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and thought I might be able to see some migrating monarchs roosting. For the past four years, I have tried to find roosts of migrating monarchs with no success. I commented on the post and Jackie immediately sent me a private message and offered to assist me in finding a roost to observe.

A few days later Jackie sent me a message. A farmer had agreed to let us onto his property to see some monarchs that were roosting in some pine trees on his land. We arranged a time and place to meet. We arrived and parked at the planned meet-up point, a local cemetery. Cameras in hand we began to trudge through poison ivy avoiding foxholes to find the stand of fir trees where the farmer said the monarchs were roosting. I was excited finally to see a roost of migrating monarchs.

As we neared the stand of trees where the monarchs were sighted, Jackie received a text message from the farmer saying he had driven by the cluster of monarchs earlier that morning and must have scared them because they all dispersed and flew away. Jackie looked dishearten. But when on a “quixotic” quest hope springs eternal. We kept walking. Maybe the farmer was wrong.

And then we saw a monarch in a nearby patch of grass. Maybe a few had stayed behind. Then we saw another monarch off in the distance in a meadow. Could they still be around?

We continued walking looking for what was a field where the farmer had planted poppies earlier in the summer. Not knowing where we were going we turned into a field of flowers surrounded by several deciduous trees. All of a sudden, much to our surprise and delight, several monarchs flew right in front of us. We looked closer and realized that although the monarchs had scattered and left their roost in the pine trees, they had formed small clusters in the trees surrounding a field of flowers.

As we continued to walk slowly, trying to see where monarchs were clustered together in the trees, we would unknowingly startle a group of butterflies that would flutter right in front of us. It was such a thrill to see so many orange wings at once swoop right in front of us.

I lost all sense of time and was caught up in the excitement of seeing so many monarch butterflies. I walked quietly so as not to disturb them trying to get some photos and videos of the clusters of butterflies. We estimated that there must have been close to 150 to 200 monarchs in that area. But I have to admit; no videos or photos can truly capture the euphoria of the experience.
Why do the monarchs roost when they are migrating? According to Journey North, cool temperatures paralyze monarchs, making them vulnerable to predators. A roost provides safety in numbers. When overnight temperatures are warm, monarchs may not aggregate as tightly or roost at all. Perhaps monarchs shift to roosting behavior when cold overnight temperatures make them vulnerable.

Migrating monarchs also need to build their fat reserves for their long journey by drinking nectar along their migration pathways. The tall trees and the fields of flowers provided a perfect spot for the monarchs to protect themselves as well as find plenty of nectar until they were ready to move on.

One of the best ways to follow the fall migration is to track where they are forming roosts. Journey North keeps and posts data collected by citizen scientists on where roosts are being observed. The roost map shows where there are large concentrations of monarchs. Week by week, it reveals the fall migration pathways to Mexico and the pace of the migration.

Many thanks to Jackie Huggins who took the time to share this amazing experience with me!

Read more about monarch roosts here: http://butterfly-lady.com/follow-the-monarch-migration/

The monarchs we see at this time of year are truly special. They are the “super generation”,  also known as the Methuselah generation. They will be the ones that migrate up to 3,000 miles to the Sierra Madre mountains in Mexico. These super monarchs live longer, travel farther, and reproduce on a different schedule than their parents or grandparents.

Around the late 4th instar, monarch caterpillars and adult butterflies will get their cues to go south from nature. These cues include shorter daylight hours, native milkweed starts dying back, temperatures start cooling at night and during the day. (Journey North)

The angle of the sun may also be a major cue for them to head south. Orley Taylor, an insect ecologist at the University of Kansas discovered through the Monarch Watch’s tagging program that most monarchs took flight when the sun’s angle was about 57° above the horizon at noon, no matter where they set out. “There seems to be a window of opportunity for flight when the noon Sun is between 57° and 48°, the team reports in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.

Migrating monarchs change physiologically. Beginning in mid-August in the north, adults are in diapause when they emerge from the chrysalis. They are full-grown but not reproductively mature. Their reproductive development is on pause. These monarchs will not complete development and begin to mate until next spring in Mexico. The hormone deficiency that leads to diapause also leads to increased longevity. Breeding monarchs live only 2-6 weeks; migratory monarchs live up to 8 months. (Monarchs that overwinter in Florida, Texas, and Southern California, however, may not emerge in reproductive diapause because they do not migrate to Mexico.)

Adult Monarchs that will be migrating south are changing dramatically in the fall not only in physiology but also and in their behavior:

Three Signs of Migratory Monarchs
1. Flying in directional flight
2. Clustering in overnight roosts (Click here to read more.)
3. Nectaring intensely

Monarchs are shifting focus now from breeding to intense feeding. They must build body fat to fuel migration and to survive the winter in Mexico. Never is nectar more important to monarchs than during fall migration. Nectar fuels migration. It’s also critical for building the fat reserves the butterfly will need to survive the winter months in Mexico.