Date: 03/05/2021

Number: 2

I watched my first monarch of the season lay eggs on my 5 tropical milked plants! They were the first eggs because I've been checking the plants daily. After the sighting I counted 29 eggs!!! I may need to buy more milkweed since I had cut mine back 2x in winter and they are now just returning.

Currently I'm sprouting a few native varieties. My heart is still torn about which variety is best. Tropical milkweed grows great in Los Angeles and I've been getting monarchs for years. Now there's a bunch of inconclusive evidence about a parasite if over wintering milkweed is not cut back. Also, I'm not sure that my native seeds are native to LA!?

It's all very disconcerting because on a few local boards people are calling tropical milkweed evil and to pull it from gardens. How are the monarchs going to have anywhere to lay their eggs??

I'm 100% in support of helping monarchs. All I'm getting are mixed messages about milkweed.

What I understand is that the tropical milkweed mostly messes up, or may mess up, migration for the monarchs heading to Mexico. Most of the monarchs in Los Angeles are not migrating to Mexico.

If there's any more conclusive info please send to me!!

Thanks!
Butterfly mama,
Lauren Conn

Los Angeles, CA

Latitude: 34.1 Longitude: -118.2

Observed by: Lauren
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