Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Wandering South For the Winter

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

The wanderers are wandering. (Apparently Monarchs are called Wanderers in Australia) If you were lucky and were outside in a place with good habitat for them the last few days, you may have seen them in numbers. Last month we had a work day down at the community garden and one of the tasks at hand was deadheading the butterfly bushes for rebloom. The timing was right it seems. They are covered in blooms again now and I couldn't count the number of monarchs I saw perched on them as if roosting yesterday. The Common Buckeyes (Junonia coenia) must be on the move too. I had 5 or 6 in my garden at one time and I've never seen that many in such a small space at one time before.

4 comments:

flwrjane said...

My garden is as full of monarchs as it is weeds.

A very large consolation.

xo Jane

Sweetgum Thursday said...

Girl, I have to walk through my raised beds and step on the lettuce because I let the asters get too big and spill into the aisles, so I hear you. To lovely disasters then and the visitors drawn to the mess. Cheers.

meemsnyc said...

What an amazing photo! I love seeing the monarchs.

Sweetgum Thursday said...

thanks meems. i miss having a camera. hope the monarchs are visiting you in staten island.