April 6, 2017 Road Survey for Milkweed

Returning from an appointment in Dallas, I did a road survey of MIlkweeds I saw. I stopped only where I saw at least one from car, which means I will have missed small ones or possibly some larger with no flower buds yet. I expected to see only Asclepias asperula and that is what I found. Too early for A. viridis.

I thought the absence of any milkweed along the roads leaving Dallas was due to recent roadwork and over-mowing. There were many large roadside areas with wildflowers that looked like they should have milkweed. But even in wide medians on US 67 where I have seen A. viridis later in the year, nothing. At US 67 and I35W (Alverado) I jogged south to Grandview to try to continue on county roads. Even as I worked toward Cleburne, still nothing.

Just south of Cleburne I turned southwest on TX174. Still nothing until I went over a small crest, then A. asperula everywhere. They began at the east end of the track in the link below. At this spot several hundred plants, continuous along both sides of the road. I then continued on 174 to FM 927 and turned west. Stopped at intervals alone the way.

Maybe the lack of milkweed near Dallas is that A. asperula gives way to A. viridis traveling east more abruptly than I expected and A. viridis has not emerged yet.

The link below should produce a map. If not click Map view. You may have to zoom in. In map view, click the full screen symbol to clears everything except the map.

http://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=32.25868657612549&nelng=-97.064208984375&on=2017-04-06&place_id=any&project_id=texas-milkweeds-and-monarchs&swlat=31.938762998243842&swlng=-97.93212890625&user_id=gregglee&verifiable=any

Dallas-IUS67-MidlothianUS67-Alvarado-I35W-Grandview-FM4-Cleburne-TX174-Morgan-FM927-Walnut Springs-several county roads-home

Posted on Απρίλιος 07, 2017 0644 ΜΜ by gregglee