Christmas Monarch

By this time if year, most of the world's monarch butterfly population has completed their migration to their overwintering sites in the mountains of central Mexico. However, places with mild winters, like Houston, serve as overwintering areas as well.

In spite of the periodic blasts of cold weather we've received over the last several weeks, we still haven't gotten a freeze severe enough to kill the milkweed plant in the front yard or the monarch caterpillars that feed upon it. Kirby and I continue to collect mature caterpillars, put them in a container to watch the pupae form and the adults emerge, and, on warm days, release the mature butterflies.

One butterfly emerged from his chrysalis today and decided to explore our Christmas tree:

Merry Christmas, everyone!