I usually drive home on gravel roads, looking for milkweed to feed my catepillars. I don't take all the milkweed, I do leave some for the Monarchs and cats around where I pick it. Yeah, it proably adds a half hour to my drive home. It has been so time consuming and right now I have lots of big cats, takes me about 2 1/2 - 3 hours morning and night to work with them. It can be exhausting, as I also work full time, some days I wonder but...then I get a Monarch elcose for me, like yesterday on my lunch hour so I got to see my first one eclose for this year! Yah, it is male and stay tuned for photos. I got this camera a couple of years ago, specifically so I could take photos of butterflies. I like it for the most part, it can take a great photo. Thanks everyone.

Thanks, Sherry, I sure hope I have lots of photo ops, there haven't been many butterflies so far. Last year by this time, I was inundated with caterpillars galore, of several species. I only have a few black swallowtails right now. About a month ago, the monarchs were laying eggs like mad. But those cats have all emerged from their chrysalids and did not hang around to lay any more eggs. Hopefully, they will be back soon. Mechelle

Well, I'm down to 4 now. I lost 2 smaller ones (probably cannabilized), collected 1 more baby. I have 2 that are about ready to pupate and one following closely behind. Mary, I probably don't see or get as many GSTs as you do in Florida. I know they are considered a pest (beyond my imagination) by farmers who grow citrus, but here they are considered a good but not invasive problem. I love them and only see the actual butterflies on rare occasions. They do leave the eggs, though! I'm sure they will overwinter as chrysalises so I'll have have surprises next spring! Sandy, I'm so glad they took to your Mexican Lime. Is that hardy for you, or one you have to take indoors to winter over? I'm seeing Painted and American Ladies, one lone Buckeye - but he/she was HUGE for a Buckeye - Gulf Frits are still laying eggs; Monarchs still flying, lots of Skippers, and yesterday I had a Dogface and a Clouded Sulphur. This is the first year I've ever seen a Clouded Sulphur in the yard. I did have a Yellow-Collared Scape Moth visit, too. Not near the numbers I saw last year, and so far, no Texas Crescents or Bordered Patches. Susan

That does it. Next year I am for sure planting Agastache. That house down the street with the three large A. cana had about 15 or more monarchs yesterday. This is no exaggeration....... today there were easily 60 if not more, there was too many to count and it could have been a lot more. I walked up and got swarmed by about 20 of them circling around me. Then I noticed there were three more Agastache planted across the lawn and these had just as many. Unbelievable. The Lantana's planted a few feet away didn't have a single monarch. These Agastche are really big, I may have to take something out just to fit two or three in. So, I now deduce that monarchs will nectar on Lantanas over Butterfly Bushes but they prefer Agastache over both. I have never seen so many in the city. I need to take the camera.