The juice of life: When the Monarch butterflies return! The Monarchs we enjoyed this 2020 will return. They may be some worn, but they are among the most admirable, amazing animals I know of. Riding those warm air currents, hundreds of feet above us, to Mexico’s central mountains, and returning on those those high air currents . . . Astounding.
When they return, I hope they will find us healthy, hale and . . . Happy!
Danaus plexxipus. G-d’s superb creation.
Jeff
Yesterday, we watched a Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) enter and explore our new 800 garden.We’d not seen a Monarch here for weeks, and we both had big Smiles! Our Monarch visitor headed to a purple Coneflower.
Just as it was reaching the Coneflowers, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird sped over, and escorted our sweet Monarch out of the garden, at a rapid speed. Monarch? Left in a hurry!
I’d never seen that before, and it added to our treasure trove of garden anecdotes. Macon, Georgia, 45 minutes south of Atlanta, y’all.
Jeff
Whenever a Monarch butterfly crosses my path, or flies into our garden, I go. Go to see it, almost go to greet it! As hundreds of thousands of you have, I have planted milkweed plants in my garden, knowing that even if some of you have limited space, you’ve set in milkweed in planting pots. When those Monarchs come, no matter what month it is, it is uplifting. Uplifting is healthy and much needed.
On my trip to Mission, Texas, a handful of miles from the Mexican border, those hundreds of Monarch-like butterflies, Queens and Soldiers, lit me up! I was as excited to see my 200th Queen as I was when we arrived in Mission. Monarchs, Queens and Soldiers are all Danaus butterflies, whose hostplants are Milkweeds.
When I travel to Israel my Danaus-love continues with this butterfly, the Plain Tiger. Found in the Middle East, it is the most elusive of the Danaus, difficult to approach and skittish when the camera appears.
It all goes back to Brooklyn, New York, when Monarchs showed up in the ’empty lots’ not empty at all, but just months or a handful of years before they were developed and . . . disappeared.
Jeff
He is closest to us. She is barely visible below. Monarchs coupled in the Perennial Gardens of the National Butterfly Gardens of the NABA in Mission, Texas. The largest Monarchs I have ever seen. A mere 2 miles or so from the Mexican border and the border wall.
Me? Sitting here watching the rain, it 52 degrees Fahrenheit outside, in usually sunny Georgia.
What does this view make me sing in my mind, the lyrics to Unchained Melody, and those summer days on the beach at Arverne, Rockaway, Queens, New York: Oh My Love, My Darling, I Hunger For Your Touch. Time Goes By So Slowly And Time Can Mean So Much . . . Are You Still Mine? I Need Your Love, G-d Speed Your Love To Me.
Sure a trip to the National Butterfly Center is unforgettable . . .
Jeff
We’re near the end of February here in middle Georgia, U.S.A.. Some days hit 60 degrees Fahrenheit, others struggle to reach 49 degrees. I’ve not seen a Monarch butterfly since very early November 2019.
Working through our wingedbeauty.com Media Library and I stopped here, at this enchanting image of a female Monarch, in our 303 Garden (our own yard). She has stopped to deposit eggs on our Milkweed (Asclepias spp).
Just another image for me? No. No. No. What you’re seeing made me smile, instantly. Joy to my heart, seeing Monarchs, as I did back in Brooklyn, New York, back then. She striving to insure that the next generation of Monarchs ecloses, whether it be then in East Flatbush section of Brooklyn or now, in beautiful Eatonton, Georgia.
Joy! is always good medicine. Monarchs bring Joy!
Jeff
Winged Beauty Butterflies 