I’ll be repeating my Monarch Waystation presentation for the Sierra Club on Monday, July 15th, 7:00 p.m. (note corrected time) at Second Presbyterian Church, 460 E. Main Street, Lexington, KY (map). The presentation is free and open to the public.
I haven’t seen any monarchs in my yard this year, and I don’t know of anyone in Lexington who has. This is the first time in 7 years that I haven’t seen them before July 1.
Overwintering monarchs in Mexico once covered 50 acres – last year they covered less than 3. Their numbers are now 1/15th of what they were in 1977. And last year they declined 59% compared to the previous year. Source: Monarch Watch.
However, Bald Eagles have come back from the brink of extinction. If enough folks care and get involved, I’m hopeful we can help monarchs do the same.
I think Monarch Waystations are the best way we can help these remarkable butterflies, and my goal in the presentation is to make it easy to get started.
If you live in the Lexington area, I’d be glad to see you next Monday. I’d also appreciate you sharing this with anyone else who might be interested.
It is so sad to see the Monarchs disappear. When i was gardening years ago, they were abundant…too much spraying, etc. I hope Monarch Waystations will help.
I too, Sara, am hoping so.
How wonderful to hear that you have created habitat for the Monarchs. A few neighbours and I have also started Monarch Waystations here where we live in Ontario and we’re passing the word around as fast as we can.
“No milkweed = No Monarchs = No bees = No food for us”.
Louise, so glad to hear what you are doing in Ontario. As to “No milkweed=No Monarchs=No bees=No food for us” – Amen! Haven’t heard it put that way and I like it. Thanks for sharing.
Betty, thank you for the work you’re doing on behalf of our beloved monarch butterflies. Your presentation is so well received!
Thanks, Ann, and congratulations on your Waystation. If we build them, surely they will come?
Betty – I haven’t seen any Monarch’s in my yard this year either. Starting to get a little worried. Here’s a photo of a swallowtail caterpillar – evidently 5 of the 6 eggs I saw on the bronze fennel have made it to this stage!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cattfrancisco/9249139754/
Kathy, it’s a beauty! Thanks for sending the photo. If no monarchs, it helps a little to at least be seeing other butterflies.
Hi Betty! I haven’t seen any Monarchs yet in my yard. Last year I started releasing mid June. I released 240 Monarchs last year. Very sad. The milkweed is here waiting ; ). I also have a Waystation sign in my yard.
Chris Howells
Sad indeed, Chris. That’s a very dramatic change from last year. I’m still hoping we will at lease see some on their way south. Glad to know you, too, have a Waystation sign.
Hi Betty,
Your posts on creating habitat for butterflies prompted me to leave all the milkweed that sprouts up in my garden beds this year – in case anyone drops by for dinner! I was rewarded with the pleasure of watching a Tiger Swallowtail enjoy a feast the other day, and I even had a camera on hand and got a good photo too. Thanks for again inspiring me (and so many others) to celebrate the ordinary, and to value plants I used to think of as weeds. Hopefully some Monarchs will be lured in also to enjoy the milkweed plants. Wish I was local and could get to enjoy your talk.
Marsha, in farm country, Loretto ON
So glad to hear your story, Marsha, and to know your efforts were rewarded with seeing and photographing the Tiger Swallowtail. To the degree I had anything to do with it, I’m quite pleased. I’m hoping you will see a Monarch.Maybe one of the supergeneration (last brood of the season that lives long enough to get to Mexico) and, if so, may it head to Kentucky. (smile)