Date: 10/14/2011

Number: 12

Friday, Oct.14th, there were about 10-12 Monarchs in the garden through any given time during the day. Saturday, about 20 on average. The main nectaring source is Tithonia,* Mexican sunflower, with one or two nectaring on scattered buddleja blooms. Pretty cool when they swarm, but have been only partially successful in photographing the swarming.

Yesterday (10/16), on average about 20 throughout the day, with activity decreasing by 5pm. Only a few until 6:30, when they began to leave, with a few roosting overnight.

Although on a hilltop,our house is surrounded by trees. Through this 3 day migration, we have seen none come in from overhead, but through the trees on a wooded lot, passing by the backside of the house, turning a corner and coming through a passageway between the garage and some trees. It's as if they sense the route of the Monarchs before them.

Each year the migration seems to vary a bit as to how they arrive into the garden. That pattern is usually followed during that particular season.

*I highly recommend Tithonia for attracting migrating Monarchs, as it's still a rich source of nectar when many sources in the garden are wearing out. Tithonia can get to 6' high and 4' wide, so space is needed. Years ago, hurricane Fran knocked my single plant to the ground in the fall.
Rather than the plant dying, all the laterals grew vertical, giving me many more blooms. Since then, I let them grow to about 4' in height, water them well, and gently lay them over on their side. The nectaring patch this season is about 10x15, with abundant flowers.

Courtesy of Carolina Leps

Asheboro, NC

Latitude: 35.6 Longitude: -79.8

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