Oh, Mike, you make me blush. Thank all of you very much for your kind comments. The temperature in northern Michoacan in late February was in the high 70s or low 80s. It was probably cooler as we went higher, but our climbing kept us warm. The Monarchs at El Rosario were higher this year than last. I haven't seen a figure, so I'll give you my best estimate. The park lies on a mountain above and between the towns of Ocampo and Angangueo, which are at 8,000-8,500 feet. The Monarchs typically overwinter at around 10,000 feet. I'm sure we climbed at leat 1,000 feet inside the park. The mountains, I'm told, go up to 12,000 feet. Next year, I intend to take a GPS device with me so that I can determine the altitude precisely. Except for the visit to El Rosario, I didn't see as many butterflies as I expected in Mexico. But, then again, it was winter, and we experienced hard freezes on three or four successive nights in December. Before the freezes hit, I saw a large number of beautiful butterflies in the garden at the B&B where we spent our first week. I saw Mourning Cloaks, sulphurs and some checkers in my yard in Las Cuevas, and quite a variety of large, bright butterflies at the beach in February. I was not able to photograph many of the butterflies I saw, mainly because I could not get close enough or I didn't have my camera with me or I was with other people who would have been inconvenienced. Those that I was able to catch with my camera are here: Butterflies of Michoacán geni

Sandy, First of all, I'm very sorry to hear about your mother. I know how you cared for her, and I can only imagine what a loss that would be. No need at all to apologize about the seeds. I got some from PMN and they're coming up, so I hope to have a nice bed of false nettle this year. I had them before but then for some reason most of them died out. That's too bad about your Monarch cats. If only there were some way of telling if milkweed from somewhere else was treated with pesticides or not before we decide to purchase it. I know that you did your best to raise those cats and we can only do so much. I just wish that the Monarchs wouldn't have shown up before the milkweed is big enough to feed all of them. I'm afraid that the Monarch population across the country will suffer because of it. Kim, If one was at my place already, don't be surprised if they show up at yours too, but I hope for their sake that they don't unless the milkweed there is bigger than it is around here. I know it's a little warmer there were you're at, so maybe it is. That's great that you also got to see a Tiger Swallowtail. Susan, This is the earliest that I've had Monarchs get here, but of course I was only keeping records for a few years. If I had 20 or so years of record keeping like Sandy probably does, then I would be more comfortable at drawing the conclusion that they are very early this year. I know that all of the other 6 years that Monarchs showed up here, I already had milkweed. The Monarchs hadn't shown up until May or June the other years. It has been cool and rainy here, which would most likely have an effect on the rate of milkweed growth, but I wish that it would hold the Monarchs back too. Instead of waiting until their usual times of showing up, they've come earlier though. I hate to think of their early arrival causing a drop in the population, but with not much milkweed up to lay their eggs on, I don't know how many cats would survive. I'm really not sure how long a Monarch cat can go without eating (I'd never be able to intentionally starve some to find out...besides, you'd think that a place like Monarch Watch would already know how long). If only they could go into a sort of limbo until the milkweed is up more. I'm actually glad that Mrs. Monarch only laid 5 eggs here on the milkweeds that I had sitting outside. I had about a dozen pots of TMW sitting on the screened back porch or else she'd have probably laid on those too. The eggs should hatch on Wednesday, and I'm pretty sure that they'll have enough to eat. I just wish that my TMW that I winter sowed would be bigger (still small in milk jugs)...I'm almost afraid to put it out when it's big enough to be put out. If more Monarchs show up, I don't see how a bunch of hungry cats could survive. Brad, I know what you mean, I hope too that the Monarch population doesn't suffer, but I'm just afraid that it will. Here it was looking promising after hearing about the high numbers that migrated to Mexico last year. I thought what a rebound after the bad winter they had down there that previous winter...and now this! I wish there were a way they could coordinate with the supply of milkweed available. Tony, Brrr, that is cold! I guess you mean that for a daytime high. We get in the 40's at night yet but haven't had any freezing weather in the last 2 weeks or so. I don't think we'll get any more until fall. The leaves on Common Milkweed are definitely larger than those of other milkweed that I've grown. I don't know if it maybe equals out per plant, though, because the other kinds I've grown have a lot more leaves than the Common Milkweed seems to have. Yes, CMW does have a very nice scent. You're lucky to get to see an 8-spotted Forester Moth. I've never seen any. I like your close up of one. My husband said it looks like a monster. lol I think it's pretty. I think he said that just because of it being so close. :) Cathy

You may remember that I plant seeds of Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus) this year, MissSherry? My vine got about 6' tall, albeit rather spindly. I am going to mulch it well hoping it will overwinter. I got my seed from The Sample Seed Shop. Weird seeds. Anyway, there are some sites that list it as hardy to zone 7, others say to zone 8. We'll see. I had 3 Monarchs nectaring in the garden yesterday. The Sunflowers have pretty much faded, but the Golden Crownbeard is in its full glory, as is the Tropical Milkweed, orange Cosmos, and Mistflower. They seem to really enjoy the Mistflower right now. Susan

Thanks all. Ellen: That's not Aster ericoides, although I seem to have a few around. I think these are a very pale lavender A. cordifolius - the leaves are much bigger than ericoides. I've been the using the technique of benign neglect of certain woodsy areas (minimum weeding but some compost and watering) just to see what shows up. It started with the white wood aster (A. divaricatus) which is almost everywhere now. This year the asters have exploded and I'm seeing many different species as well as goldenrods. I have a number of named aster cultivars I bought, but most of the asters here are volunteers. The bumblebees are delirious and native pollinators abound. Terrene (nice photo) and Jane: It's worrisome when people who raise butterflies can find none to raise. And that article about the decline in females is really unsettling. Claire