Monarchs

Outside the Box for So Cal.

FYI, the monarch migration through southern California is August through October. Keep your eyes peeled. If you grow milkweed, that is what they eat and lay eggs on. I am no monarch expert, but love the 'extras' that come with gardening - like observing two different species of hummingbirds flitting among my plantings. The perks, as it were.

We are on the Fall migration path in my area of Texas as well. The past couple of years they've come down a bit west of us, but hoping they might turn east this year. Being visited by thousands of monarchs is truly a spiritual experience.

Duh! Having another senior moment. I can't find the other monarch thread.  Anyway, I've spent the past 2 days cleaning the aphids off my milkweed plants, searching for caterpillars, and relocating them all to the butterfly house. I now have about 30, from tiny to huge and fat. I had to set up a fan in the butterfly house and hose it down from the outside twice a day because of our excessive heat, but at least these babies are safe from predators and have plenty to eat.

For those of you who love butterflies, but don't want all the work involved in raising monarchs (ungrateful things that fly away right after laying eggs, so they're rarely seen in the garden and we have to do all the work of raising their young), find out if you have Gulf Fritillaries in your area. We found one last year and bought some passion flower vine for it (their host plant for the caterpillars). This year we have frits everywhere. It's like living in a Disney movie and we don't have to do a thing but water the passion vine plants and enjoy the show.