What does your garden look like ... Today?

Meadowlark

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The attraction...

garden oct.JPG


Quadruple: 3 Monarchs and Gulf Fert

monarchs quad 2 oct.JPG


Triple Monarchs:

monarchs triple oct.JPG


Double Monarchs;

monarchs double oct.JPG



Double Gulf Fert and Swallowtail:

gulf and swallowtail oct.JPG


Double Monarch and Swallowtail
monarch and swallowtail.JPG


Single Giant Swallowtail:

swallowtail oct 2.JPG
 

Meadowlark

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@Sheal, my "worries" were completely unfounded being new and inexperienced to the butterfly game. The largest numbers here are late arriving migratory types as I have learned.

The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is listed as endangered, but you wouldn't know that in my garden now as I'm seeing as many as 5 feeding together at once. I never expected to see that...and have found the attractor garden to be most rewarding. 🤠 more so than I ever anticipated.
 

Sheal

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I'm glad to hear your news and they must be a pleasure to watch in your garden. Also that you're doing your bit to help them. :) I have read about the migration of the Monarchs and that numbers have dropped. Let's hope they survive despite being endangered.
 

Meadowlark

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It is an incredible migration story @Sheal ...and I am absolutely thrilled to be a small part of it and contribute to their survival even if minuscule contribution. 🤠 .
 

JBtheExplorer

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Saw a monarch last week and I think it was the last one I'll see this year. Temps are getting really cold now and I'm sure they're probably all out of the state by now.
 

Meadowlark

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When you have the only blooming flowers left around the area, the butterflies find a way...

Monarchs galore (they sure don't look endangered here):

monarchs thanksgiving.JPGmonarchs 2 thanksgiving.JPGmonarchs 3 thanksgiving.JPG

Lots of Gulf Ferts

gulf fert thanksgiving.JPG

Several long-tailed skippers joined the party

long tail skipper.JPG
 

Meadowlark

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The Monarchs have pretty much moved on now in December, but several locals still hanging around the remaining flowers in the garden.

The Gulf Fritillary still showing in strong numbers amongst the few zinnias remaining.
gulf fert dec 2025.JPG



The good old reliable Buckeye finds the remaining nectar wherever it can.
Buckeye dec 2025.JPG



I'm anxiously awaiting Jan. to see any butterflies show up. 🤠
 

Meadowlark

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Saw a monarch last week and I think it was the last one I'll see this year.
Speaking of which, while reading some old threads yesterday, I ran across @JBtheExplorer posts on raising Monarch butterflies.

Absolutely fascinating to me...and would love to see more. (y)
 

JBtheExplorer

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Speaking of which, while reading some old threads yesterday, I ran across @JBtheExplorer posts on raising Monarch butterflies.

Absolutely fascinating to me...and would love to see more. (y)

I haven't raised them in many years now. I decided to shift away from that and keep my focus on providing habitat. There were some varying opinions about the affects of raising them indoors or raising too many together, and I ultimately decided it was best to just let nature do its thing in my gardens.
 

scarecrow garden in China

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In my garden, the children are pulling up radishes (carrots and white radishes) from the vegetable patch and watering the newly sprouted plants.
 

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