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Post by gb98 on Sept 27, 2021 12:08:22 GMT -5
Hi,
Last year around August, I saw many monarch caterpillars as well as their pupae on my milkweeds and even the surrounding fence. I saw the monarch butterflies too.
This year, while I saw plenty of monarch butterflies, I never saw any caterpillars or pupae. However, I saw quite a few monarch beetles which I didn't see the previous year.
Does anybody here have any idea why this change?
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Sept 28, 2021 11:52:02 GMT -5
I wonder if their mutation schedule changed b/c of the intensely hot weather. I noticed that my goldenrod grew much master and taller as it approached bloom stage. The junk trees especially grew a lot more as well. Perhaps the biggest surprise was to see a few violets in bloom, which I don't understand b/c they're cooler weather flowers, although we have had some wonderfully cool relief the last week or so.
I think we're going to see a lot of changes in insect and crop behavior as climate change accelerates.
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Post by gb98 on Sept 28, 2021 12:22:44 GMT -5
SpringRain🕊️ , this was a much wetter summer than last summer. We had 10 inches of rain in July alone compared to a statewide drought last summer. I'm wondering if that had anything to do with it. Both this summer and last were intensely hot. I'm afraid you're right about insect and crop behavior due to climate change. I'm noticing it already.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Sept 28, 2021 12:47:57 GMT -5
gb98 , I've also noticed that the usual August dry spell and no mowing relief didn't occur. Despite hot weather, the grass just kept right on growing. I'm curious what other changes you've noticed, as you mention insect and crop behavior. One thing I think will change but not for the better is the growing season for early flowers, especially the daffodils, irises and peonies. In my yard, they seem to be more sensitive to heat than the tulips. I've also seen some what I consider to be giant spiders. I've never seen them this large before this year. Fortunately, they're all outside.
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Post by gb98 on Sept 28, 2021 14:02:31 GMT -5
SpringRain🕊️ , one particularly disturbing change I have noticed for a couple of years is I heard crickets during a warm spell in December. Usually there are hard enough frosts so a late warm spell doesn't do that. I love the sound of crickets, but hearing them that late is disturbing. Interestingly, springs don't seem like they're coming earlier, but falls are definitely running later.
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Post by binnylou on Sept 28, 2021 14:08:25 GMT -5
gb98, possibly tinnitus kicking in?
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Post by gb98 on Sept 28, 2021 14:53:21 GMT -5
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Post by desertwoman on Jan 11, 2022 0:33:34 GMT -5
one particularly disturbing change I have noticed for a couple of years is I heard crickets during a warm spell in December. Usually there are hard enough frosts so a late warm spell doesn't do that. I love the sound of crickets, but hearing them that late is disturbing. There is a cricket in our boiler room! It's has been talking for the past 3 nights. Never have experienced that before!
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Post by gb98 on Jan 12, 2022 15:10:47 GMT -5
desertwoman, Wow! Sounds like they found a place to overwinter. I used to get a cricket or two in my house every year when I was in NJ. While their sound is nice when they are outside, it can be ear piercing indoors!
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Post by Wheelgarden on Jan 12, 2022 16:55:31 GMT -5
I don't hear crickets any more, the sole benefit of tinnitus. I found them comforting back when I could. They drive Sweetie crazy at night. "Can you not hear that?", she'll say, and I just smile.
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Post by desertwoman on Jan 12, 2022 19:11:48 GMT -5
Sounds like they found a place to overwinter. The odd thing is that it didn't present itself until now- after putting in a new boiler and some other plumbing repairs. There's an opening to a tiny crawl space under the boiler room (closet) floor. All I can think of is that it was sleeping there all Fall and early Winter and got disrupted. Do crickets hibernate?
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Post by binnylou on Jan 12, 2022 20:38:00 GMT -5
desertwoman,crickets are not a wintertime critter in Iowa. They must go someplace…possibly burrow down in the soil.??
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jan 12, 2022 20:56:25 GMT -5
Or they lay a bunch of eggs, that hatch, come spring
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Post by desertwoman on Jan 12, 2022 21:02:10 GMT -5
They're not a winter critter here, either, binnylou pepperhead212, I've never heard a cricket in January!! They show up late spring/early summer when the nights are warmer.
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Post by binnylou on Jan 12, 2022 21:10:51 GMT -5
I’ll trade you six Asian beetles and three box elder bugs for one cricket.
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