dragonflies and butterflies

[toughguy]

Has anyone else noticed there seems to be more butterflies and dragonflies the last 2-3 years? I wonder if they're up in population due to the decline in bees? I have tons of swallow tails, monarchs, and dragonflies are thick as heck. Maybe the wet spring did it too? Maybe I'm just off my rocker?

[Dotch]

I can't speak for your location but this year in SC MN I have noticed an uptick in monarchs. Milkweed has been on the increase the past couple years and this year in particular in the area so that probably doesn't hurt. Not sure which swallowtail you're seeing but if it's the yellow swallowtail, I'm not sure. Didn't see them when we first moved here 30 years ago, now we do at least occasionally. We have more of the plant species they favor than we once did and that includes more flowering plants for nectar plus things like poplar and Prunus species for the larvae to feed on. The black swallowtails have become more numerous over the last decade or so I suspect in part due to a huge increase in the amount of wild parsnip in road ditches and waste areas. They feed on carrot family plants although I haven't noticed any larvae in the garden like when I was a kid. We used to find them primarily on dill and carrots, then feed them in a fruit jar to watch them develop into a chrysalis, hatch out a while later then release them. We did the same thing with monarch caterpillars when we'd find them. The dragonflies were perhaps more numerous a few years ago here but we still see them regularly. Wish I would see more of them as the mosquitoes are still ferocious when there's no breeze.

The bee thing in particular the honeybees depends on ones proximity to the hives. Honeybees travel only a few miles tops from their hives so that depends a lot on the placement of beekeepers supers. Occasionally there is a wild hive but they're few and far between. I have seen more small bumblebees lately than I have in many years in our vegetable garden working over the cucumber, melon and squash patch. There is also a lot of red clover blooming around it, sweetclover in the adjacent CRP and Ladino clover in the lawn. Seems like the cooler summer has delayed their activity somewhat but they're making up for lost time now. Something I have seen less of are paper wasps. Having said that I'm sure when I least expect I'll get nailed by one!

[pushbutton]

Tons of dragonflies in my parts last couple years. Love those little critters! Complete unscientific postulating is that the same condition the made it ripe for skeeters have done so in kind for them as well. Tough go on any bees around here though.....no honey bees to speak of and not nearly as many bumble bees as in the past either. Plants have doing ok despite? Been hearing more and more "crop" farmers buying bumble bee hives for pollination. Have noticed this little fly type thing that must aid in pollination as well......

[toughguy]

I have mostly yellow swallowtails in the yard. There are a few blacks but many more yellows.

I remember being a little kid on my Grandparents farm in Western MN in the early 80's there were monarchs everywhere each fall (or was it spring?)on their migration. The trees in the groves were covered in them to the point where they were orange. It was like the trees were alive they way they would move. Crazy how few there are today compared to back then.

[eyeguy 54]

seams about the same around here. Usually have a couple yellowtails that like to fly around in the catalpa trees. Saw a black one a few days ago. That was neat. Once in a while a monarch and red admiral fly by. A few bumble bees normal in the flowers. Dragon flies on the nature trail seem the same. Skeeters were thick with all the June water but July mellowed the attack out.