Date: 04/13/2015

Number: 1

One adult monarch flew into my "monarch waystation" but there are no wildflowers/asclepias yet flowering in this highly diverse garden. Never seen a monarch this early. Blew in on strong southwesterly winds? Disappeared into the surrounding woodland. Late spring here and even the redbuds are not yet out.

Only other butterfly I've seen this spring is the American lady, Vanessa virginiensis (lots of host plants, Antennaria spp here for them). It was not a viceroy (don't believe they're out this early?). I was shocked to see it and a bit dismayed since the milkweeds have not yet even emerged and there seems little if anything to feed on. I try to plant early spring wildflowers especially for the bees but even most of those are a week away from flowering. I've been looking at the maps on your site and read about the late departure from Mexico so a bit perplexed myself about this stray. Bottom line is, yes, I'm sure it was a monarch.

Annapolis, MD

Latitude: 39 Longitude: -76.6

Observed by: John
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