Monarchs

Tis the season for Monarch Butterflies to head south to Mexico. And we have had a steady stream flowing through our gardens the past few weeks.

Look closely at the image below and you'll see two nectaring on the flowers.

And here are three more:

These were taken as I walked about the yard. Not all of the butterflies were this cooperative, others fluttered away as I approached; these must have been very hungry from their journey.

We maintain our yard and gardens as a haven for wildlife, including Monarchs. And this year have been rewarded with many species of butterflies and other insects.

During the summer Patty raised many Monarchs from eggs and caterpillars, and chronicled it in these posts: Monarch Madness, Future Butterflies, The Future is Now. Although we later learned that this may not be such a good thing for the species.

But they seem to be doing well on their own, as I took this image of a chrysalis on October 8th.

And the next morning it hatched. This was one of several chrysalides found around the yard.

Alas, not all of them make it to Mexico, as this wing on the driveway attests. It is a long a arduous journey, being made by a creature that weighs less than a paperclip. Simply amazing.

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

Anecdotally, it has been a good year for Monarch Butterflies.

You can track the Monarch Butterflies along the Atlantic Coast at the Monarch Monitoring Project site. I hope you have some visiting your yard.