April 1, 2015

A few monarchs frequent my garden on these spring days. I’ve long wondered about the butterfly migration from Mexico and the monarch life cycle. The mystery is explained below.

The migration from Mexico began on March 24. You can read more at onEarth, the magazine of the National Resources Defense Council.

Here’s a monarch just emerged, wings wet. It landed on my jeans and stayed for a few minutes, wings drying in the sun. It was a magical time on a January day.

Plant milkweed to allow the monarchs to feed on the migration. But instead of the tropical milkweed seen here in my garden, plant native species. I’ve learned it’s preferred to prevent the spread of disease. But that’s another story. (If you grow the tropical milkweed, experts recommend cutting it back and keeping it dormant from October to February).

Search for native milkweed seed at The Xerces Society website. Put in your state and find vendors.

And revel in the beauty of these garden visitors.

Infographic: onEarth, National Resources Defense Council