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Perennials Butterfly Garden Native Plants

Couldn't believe my eyes today...

last year

Was outside this afternoon and I saw a Monarch. A MONARCH! In late October! Poor thing...there's nothing blooming for her other than some willow-leaf sunflower, pansies, salvias, annual geraniums, and a few flowers on the large stands of "Herbstonne" rudbeckia -- i hope she can make use of the little that's out there and can somehow have enough energy to high-tail it outta here and down south before the really cold temps set in.

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Comments (4)

peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
last year
Yes, I was quite surprised to see one a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully the one you saw was mine heading south! We can only wish them well on their long migration and maybe pray for them a little too. I have been still seeing a lot of Sulphurs.
arbordave (SE MI)
last year
last modified: last year
The latest I've recorded seeing a monarch (in Michigan) was October 14 (last year). At this point (10/29) I would think it has to be very unusual to see a monarch in Michigan. As you noted, nectar sources are becoming pretty scarce, so it seems doubtful that it could survive the rest of its journey to Mexico. But nature can be surprising sometimes. You didn't happen to get a photo?

Like peren.all, I've been seeing some sulphurs and cabbage whites on the warmer days.
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I couldn't believe my eyes yesterday!
Q
Comments (6)
What is a "weed," exactly? Some would call them flowers. It's really all in how you look at it. I don't think my lysmachia is any more invasive than my rudbeckia which reseeds everywhere. I also have cinquefoil and it's not invasive at all. And besides, "invasive" isn't always bad. Some folks want things that spread A LOT. Personally I like those plants in tricky areas I'm trying to fill up quickly. They aren't fussy! Isn't that what groundcover is? If you're planting that, you certainly want one that has all the qualities of an "invasive" plant. They do have value. I know a lady who thinks daylilies are invasive. So it's all in what you like. Sounds like she labeled things pretty clearly and she is offering them for free after all. Not everyone can afford to buy a lot of plants and it is a nice gesture on her part. Maybe you should go see what she's got before you judge her too hastily.
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Couldn't believe my eyes! Zone 4 and have a scape!
Q
Comments (4)
oh yes, it is a pretty one. It was planted in 2005 and has rebloomed previous years. I just can't remember ever having a scape this early in the year. Usually I start getting scapes in mid to late June on the earlies and the heavy bloom is in July. This picture was taken last year. Everyone should have CPR.
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Well, FINALLY !
Q
Comments (2)
Oh Donna, I'm so happy for you. How exciting! I've never had the Blues nest here, just the BCCH. The Blues always leave the second they see a HOSP. One year they had even built two complete nests in two different boxes when a HOSP showed up, they just left. I do deal with the HOSP. So I'm really hoping for Blues nesting here this year.
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can not believe my eyes!!!!
Q
Comments (13)
Counting the first day I saw them, Wednesday,(that may have been the day after they hatched)They COULD be 9-10 days. Possible the one baby was fed well and was ready. It was nearly taking flight when I tried to catch it. A closer look tells me that is the chipper baby that is missing, secondly I saw one of the parents taking a green worm off a bit and up in a tree. My guess is that these 2 remaining babies may not have made it had I not caused the premature fledge. Looking at the bucket they would have to be able to fly at least 6" to get out. It will be intresting none the less, to see how this all ends up. I sure hope these little ones make it.
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deanna in ME Barely zone 6a, more like 5b
last year
I had one exit its chrysalis in October one year and always assumed the poor thing wouldn't make it Mexico. Hope I was wrong. He stayed hanging upside down on for too long, and after the second day I moved him into the sun so his wings would dry. Then he flew off.
gdinieontarioz5
last year
I still saw a monarch on October 22 here in Hamilton ON. It has been an unusually warm fall this year, so maybe it had a chance???

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