Date: 08/10/2013

Number: 1

We have seen NO monarchs this year. We usually have monarchs laying eggs and we watch them in various stages prior to the migration stage. Five years ago we could have 20-30 butterflies on just one plant. I am alarmed at the lack of monarchs this year.
My husband and I like to photograph the monarchs when they come to our backyard garden.
We have buddleas,ssclepias, may varieties of hydrangea, crocosmia, phlox, cleome, red runner beans, honeysuckle vines, zinnias, datura, different varieties of verbena and many salvias but no sign of monarchs. We keep an organic garden and have had more yellow swallowtail butterflies than I ever remember seeing, plus many hummingbird moths. (we also have hummingbirds). Usually when our first zinnias (started from seed)start to bloom monarchs appear and we can usually find eggs on the asclepia not long after. I have been asking friends in our area of Orange County, NY and no one I know has seen any monarchs either. They too have seen many other kinds of butterflies.

Middletown, NY

Latitude: 41.5 Longitude: -74.4

Observed by: Barbara
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