(This is a female monarch from the wikipedia article. I was not able to get a good photo from the ones in my yard who were always moving too quickly.)
My milkweed is blooming now in Ohio…And I am seeing butterflies, monarch butterflies! Well, it may only be one butterfly, but I am seeing him frequently. At Chautauqua in late June I saw a Monarch and also often Tiger Swallowtails.
Any siting of these makes me happy because of late there have been so fewer Monarchs and butterflies generally. Our sadly degrading environment may be to blame.
(Here is another photo from wiki, taken by Derek Ramsay. This is a male Monarch.)
I blogged about this five years ago. https://thickethouse.wordpress.com/2013/09/05/a-sad-absence/
Today I talked on the phone with my DES friend Susan in Toronto. She had similar good news, probably even better news. She has seen multiple Monarchs in her front yard over the past few days.
A third wiki photo of a Monarch above a Mexican sunflower. I couldn’t see who took this.
I haven’t seen many monarchs this year, but last summer they were everywhere. They are magical!
I would be so sad to see them disappear from my part of the world!
My Mexican sunflowers are blooming, just waiting for the butterflies…any butterflies, I am not picky! We don’t usually see Monarchs until October, so I hope to see them then!
I hope you see loads of butterflies in you world soon!
I’m so pleased to hear monarchs are being seen! I passed my old trailer unit today, and the garden remains weeded and the milkweed is in bloom.
May you see some monarchs, too, Joanne!
My showy milkweed has finished blooming and my narrowleaf milkweed is just starting to bloom. All four plants are much bigger than last year, so I’m hopeful of getting some caterpillars hatching out on them! Last year there was at least one, which didn’t get immediately eaten by a bird. I will try to bring stems indoors this time, if I see a caterpillar…
I appreciate the www photos, knowing how very hard it is to get a picture myself!!
I do hope you have some caterpillars which hatch! It’s a good sign that the plants are larger and blooming.
We’ve been spotting plenty of butterflies on our walks, hikes and runs lately. It seems that finally, some farmers and garden keepers are waking up to the fact that we need wildflowers and weeds to promote wildlife – with the butterflies and other insects, birds and other animals will follow. So easy to achieve, but even easier to destroy, which has been happening far too long.
I am really happy to hear this, Meike. Too many people are still using pesticides and herbicides and too much destruction of the tropical rainforests is still happening. But I hope slowly change is coming. So many people I know grow plants in their gardens especially to support bees and butterflies and wildlife.
They are great to see. Thankfully, there has be some rejuvenation of the species.
I believe there has, but more needs to be done! Lots more.
Thanks for the butterfly post, Kristi. I should point out I wasn’t actually trying to out-monarch you the other day. :^) I was just so excited that we were have the same butterfly experience.
I didn’t think we were in a competition! I’m just thrilled that you have many butterflies in your garden!
A lovely post and wonderful photographs.
We need to do what we can to attract butterflies … nearby we have wildflower meadows that our town council have encouraged … it definitely helps.
All the best Jan
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Wildflower meadows are so wonderful. We used to have more, but I do live next to a National Park so we have woodlands and spring wildflowers in abundance…It is excellent is your local government is encouraging and supporting this.