by Lydia Holley November 7 , 2022
Even though I have planted milkweed and see numerous butterflies of all kinds flitting from bloom to bloom throughout the spring, summer, and fall, I do not see a lot of monarchs in my garden. Still, I have always had hope because I hear other gardeners boast about monarchs visiting their gardens. So, I wondered if these majestic butterflies might find me some day. I hung on to hope even after years went by and they either skipped my garden or I just did not see them when they stopped by.
This year, I have been working hard in the garden and not taking the time to truly appreciate the beauty and joys of nature. That changed this weekend when I went outside and noticed the numerous bees visiting my blooming asters. There in the middle of them were monarchs.
Larger than I expected them to be, they flew from bloom to bloom trying to find a spot not covered in bees. Even though I have been hearing reports this year of monarchs staying later than usual in the northern portions of the United States, whenever August and September passed without a monarch sighting, I thought it was just another year that they flew over or around me.
If monarch butterflies have never graced your garden before, this may be the year. Look for them. Since they are late moving through, they will appreciate the flowers blooming now. In my garden, the painted lady butterflies seem to be enjoying the lantana more than anything else, while the monarchs and buckeye butterflies were determined to feed from the asters. My chrysanthemums are just now beginning to bloom, but they will also be appreciated by the butterflies which come to visit over the next few days.
Perhaps some of those visitors will be more monarchs.
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