Date: 10/06/2011

Number: 5

I’ve had habitat for monarchs for many years and have witnessed the decline in recent years. Although I’m not an butterfly expert or an expert in observing their activity here in Collin County, I can tell you that I’ve seen more in the past two weeks than I’ve seen in several years. I can go out at most any time of day and watch at least four or five nectaring on penta, several varieties of salvia, lantana, even roses and, of course, gregg’s mist flower. I’ve only got a few very sad, hidden Mexican milkweek plants this year that are not in flower, but they are stripped bare. I’ve also had a brood of pipevine swallowtail caterpillars eat all my pipevine in the last several weeks and now see the butterflies in abundance. What started out to be a very disappointing year has become a very plentiful fall finale. I’m encourage enough to replenish the plants to ensure their availability next spring.

Courtesy of Mike Quinn

Collin County, TX

Latitude: 33.2 Longitude: -96.6

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