My wife & I walk around our neighborhood almost every day, weather permitting. If we hit every street, it’s about 3.5 miles. In one yard just near the entrance, there are two trees close together. A vine is going up & around both the trunks, creating a dense amount of foliage.
Walking by there the other day, I saw a Monarch butterfly going towards the trees. Then another. Then another. Looking over at the vines in the trees, there were dozens of Monarch butterflies in there. We’ve been able to observe them for three days straight. Today when we walked by, there were none.
Obviously, they are migrating to Mexico. The blooms on the vine have likely become a feeding station for them.
I’ve heard of the huge masses of Monarchs in some valleys in Mexico. This is about as close as we’ll get.
Saijokai No Butterfly - Masami Tsuchiya
That's cool, Doc! My town is a stopping point on the migratory path, and we get some impressive gatherings on a local golf course many years. I have been planting milkweed in my garden, as that is the only plant on which monarchs will lay eggs, and the only plant on which their caterpillars will feed. I have one plant at this point (others didn't do well where I planted them) and it had seven caterpillars on it this this year. Unfortunately, they all eventually disappeared without going into their crysalis stage, so no butterflies. But the plant did well, is re-leafing after having every single leaf consumed by the caterpillars, and went to seed in a big way. I spread seed in the yard, as well as allowed the wind to spread them as nature intended, in hopes that I will have additional plants next year.
Nice description and ‘photos 🦋 🍃