Something strange seems to be going on. As of yesterday, our little butterfly bushes had monarch caterpillars on them, including the one shown here; the bushes have hosted monarch cats all summer. Yet, I’ve seen no monarch chrysalises here or in my favorite spots all summer.
AND, in general, I’ve seen relatively few butterflies, especially monarchs and swallowtails. I saw the female monarch shown below on Friday, and it was the first one I had seen in eight days. I have yet to see a swallowtail (tiger or black).
I wonder if it’s the above average rain and long-lasting fog that we’ve been having all summer. Increased numbers of wasp or other butterfly predators/parasites? (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on September 1 and 2, 2023.)