nice!...Looks like you've got the perfect migration waystation. I see 10 in your picture, Tony

Beautiful!!! I don't have that many but I did have four at one time when I got home from work today. I was standing out by my butterfly bush taking a picture of one, when another one came down suddenly and the next thing you know they are mating right in front of my eyes. I will post pics soon!
~Laura

How fun for you!

Hey, Sandy! What a great photo of your Tropical Milkweed with Monarchs aboard!

I was having a hard time keeping up with cleaning mine of the Oleander aphids, and then one day, after a couple of cool days/nights, I checked them and the aphids were gone! I don't know if the cooler temps affect them or if I had some aphid predator "take care of them". But, the plants look much healthier because of it.

I am still not seeing more than 2 in the yard at a time, and, of course, today they will be stalled.

I am seeing increased numbers of Grey Hairstreaks - all over the Gomphrena and the Pyramid Bush.

Keep posting your sightings!

Susan

Wow! What a fantastic picture! I am seeing green about now. Here I sit with a porch full of lush Tropical Milkweed, and there isn't a Monarch in sight.

Woo Hoo!! Looks like a monarch nectaring convention!

Congrats, congrats, Sandy!

My tropical MW great to about 6' tall this year, they WERE lush, but the caterpillars have eaten every leaf. I noticed that it's resprouting, though, so that's good!

Sherry

Beautiful photo Sandy! I just came back from a survey and the monarchs are moving through Ohio. I don't know the count but we saw one every ten feet or so in the prairies.

I had one last caterpillar on my swamp milkweed. I found it because it had eaten half a pod. However later, I found it dead and a soldier bug nymph running away. I hate those guys!

Thanks for the pretty picture!
-Elisabeth

Beautiful photo! I never see that many Monarchs in one place around here.

I see 11, maybe 12. Gorgeous picture!
We've got an explosion of cabbage whites and yellows.

I'm seeing 10-20 here daily now & several have been seen joined! Have lots of milkweed & have brought in eggs for the first time...I usually wait until they are cats but I'd been seeing females laying eggs but no cats. There must be an abundance of predators lying in wait! I am planning to bring in more as I find them & as long as my milkweed is abundant. I have 4 different large patches of tropical & several first year plants of swamp & common as well as a couple of Green milkweed plants that are in pots being watered. They die to the ground normally during the summer here & haven't re-emerged locally because of our terrible drought.
We are on well water...all city water is being severely rationed still. We had rain but it didn't even touch our extreme drought conditions here in Texas! Sadly to say...I'm sure it will effect the monarch migration as far as food along the way! It has been a very sparse butterfly year so far, also!

Fun picture Sandy, a quick lunch nooner of the convoy.

I almost made it through the entire season without having to admit I'd seen a Danaus plexippus this year.

Had the first one this year float by this morning and stop to ask for directions to California. Dumb bug, everybody here knows you can just follow the fairy dust from weekend visitors to find CA. ;)

Was out visiting with a neighbor at the time who lived in CA very near the Monarch winter sanctuary in Pacfic Grove years after I did. But he didn't know what a Monarch was. So I guess horse blinders (probably pink ones) have become popular there since I lived in Carmel (with my office in Pacfic Grove also very close to the sanctuary). He handled the ribbing quite well, but then we always poke at each other in fun. LOL

L.

OMG! I think had a Mini-Migration this morning! I went outside about 8 a.m. and by 8:30 a.m. there were about 10 Monarchs all over the Sunflowers! I will plant these next year (they reseed, so I don't really "plant" them) for sure. This has been the year of the Sunflower as they have drawn butterflies, hummingbirds, Finches, moths, honeybees, other bees, and tiny insects that are devoured by the hummingbirds. They are just a simple, branching Sunflower that was in a bird seed mix that I allowed to grow last year in the front, very tall (up to 12'), but they are definite beacons for the insects and birds.

Alas, still no eggs to speak of. I saw them mating this morning, too! What is up with them?

Susan

Thanks, all. I took off to Arkansas today to visit Mary Ann at Pine Ridge Garden. I've always wanted to see her place. She lives way out in the woods, and I am full of admiration for her. I don't know how she takes care of everything. She had a new toothache tree, "americanus" which I got. Her's was covered with Giant Swallowtail larvae. This is a shrub, so won't get large, and the thorns aren't as large either. I enjoyed the trip, but tonight I'm zapped. Counted about 50 Monarchs crossing the highway on the way and coming home.

The yard is still full of Monarchs this evening. At least as many as the last two evening. Hurray for the Danaus plexippus!!