Monarchs in the Southwest
Notice how many sightings have appeared in Arizona during the past week. Why the sudden increase? Are more people simply reporting—or is there an outbreak of monarchs? Gail Morris of the Southwest Monarch Project shares her insights.

"Interesting, isn't it? My thoughts are a new generation is emerging (love 'monarch outbreak!') The monarchs that eclosed last month were in no hurry to leave. In fact, I marked several and they were still in my yard 4 weeks later. If you look earlier in Tucson, there was a sighting likely of a female about a month ago, so there were likely more not reported. All of those north of Phoenix are likely from a new generation just eclosing as well. I just had 96 eclose in the last week from my garden alone - imagine how many others there are from around town and finally streaming north. It's so late in the year for all of this activity but we are enjoying every minute! At first I was worried about nectar in our drought, but traveling up north this weekend I saw roadsides and hills filled with flowers and milkweed in bloom everywhere. Of course we have some concern about all this recent egg laying we are seeing the last few days with the hot temperatures barreling this way soon. But we should be okay for at least the next 10 days temperature-wise, so we shall see! It is definitely a Monarch Spring in Arizona this year!"