I was on a recent trip to SanDiego for a conference, and had a chance to visit Balboa Park, which is a large cultural center with museums and gardens. They have a small butterfly garden that was largely still under construction. But, they had a planter with Asclepias curassavica growing. The plants looked pathetic, but that was because they were crawling with Monarch cats! I found several eggs and cats at every instar. And to top it off, I ran into a group of three early teens who were thrilled to have me show them each stage. At another part of the park, I also saw a chrysalis and newly eclosed butterflies still hanging to dry.

For those of you who live south, that may seem a bit common, but I have been horribly fearful that I might have seen the last Monarch of my life. So, for me it was a precious gift.

Martha