Date: 01/19/2021

Number: 1

I was unable to sex this monarch as the butterfly was in flight and I did not have binos with me. This was in downtown Apalachicola with no noticeable monarch-attracting vegetation in the vicinity.

What follows is probably more than you need to know but I find it compelling. There is a state park ~8 to 10 blocks away from where I made this observation which, to my knowledge, still has a butterfly garden full of Mexican milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) even after I urged them to replace it with a native milkweed. They had been sold A. curassavica falsely marketed and labeled as A. tuberosa and, at least at that time, did not have money to replace it. I was concerned about it because of the toxin that can build up larvae and the fact that Mexican milkweed is becoming invasive exotic species problem here in Florida, plus I see no reason to plant any others than our native milkweeds. A. curassavica is actually under consideration for listing by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC), which is just like it sounds like -- puts out listings of problematic invasive exotics.

Apalachicola, FL

Latitude: 29.7 Longitude: -85

Observed by: Beth
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