Try to be patient. The second year is still early for butterflies to have found you. You are also correct, that the population has decreased so drastically that there just aren't many Monarchs around. They may be visiting, but you don't see them, also. Every little bit that each individual does is helpful and increases our chances of preserving the Monarch migration. Keep planting more plants every year and encourage everyone you meet to do the same. Also, discourage the use of pesticides whenever you can.

Martha

Nothing doing around here, either. This has been most frustrating summer so far in terms of butterflies. Not just monarchs, but any butterflies. Not only have I seen very few in my garden, I haven't seen them anywhere else either. Last year this time I was raising like swallowtails, but I have seen only one so far this summer, and no eggs on the parsley or dill I planted. Furthermore, I haven't seen a single sulfur of any kind, other than a few cabbage Whites. Usually we have Tiger swallowtails around, but only one has visited. The silver spotted skippers are about the only butterflies I have seen more or less consistently.

I have zinnias and tithonia in my new butterfly garden, since the perennials I winter sowed are still quite small. I'm hoping next year will be better, when the milkweed, monarda, agastache, and mountain mint have grown up and started to flower.

IMHO, the Monarch population is very depleted. I didn't have great expectations this year, and the situation is breaking my heart. I'm not sure what is ailing all the other butterflies-or maybe I'm just unluckiy. I suspect it was the weather, in some fashion or other.

This time last year, I was swimming in BSTs and GSTs but had not gotten any monarchs or RAs. This year, I'm swimming in monarchs and RAs but have found zero BSTs and GSTs in my yard. The lack of GSTs really surprises me since I'm sure I'm one of few places locally that has hostplants for them. I got real hopeful when I found a GST flying in my yard Saturday but nothing.

This is the second year in a row that I've had zero QMs. I've seen the butterflies this year, unlike last year, but have found zero cats on my nettles.

With many species, sometimes my big theory is that so many of the yards and places around us do drastic fall and spring clean up which destroys any overwintering butterflies/moths.

If we "grow" butterflies, and they fly off somewhere else to overwinter or lay their eggs, and those place clear out every bit of leaf and twig, then there won't be any left to repopulate the landscape. Maybe we get lucky the next year and one or two come into our yard.

Anyway, it's something I've been working to spread the word about here. We need to advocate for more gardens taking it easy on the clean-up.

I agree with Bernergrrl. I'm not meticulous in my clean up, but last fall our mower died while we still had huge piles of oak leaves on the ground. Life got busy, and those piles are still on the ground as we speak. Interestingly, we've had a huge jump in the number and variety of birds in the yard, and also toads galore. I can only imagine we have tons of insects living in our leaves that are supporting these populations. Unfortunately, butterflies do not seem to be part of the insect population enjoying our leaves. I'm in the same situation as Liz and ahassel there.

I did find one 3rd-instar Monarch cat earlier this week in my yard and one freak egg in the garden at a hospice facility I was visiting last week. The egg hatched, now, so I am having the huge treat of raising two Monarchs. I had feared I might never have that pleasure again. So, cross our fingers they survive to carry on. Try not to get discouraged, but use the energy of your frustration to drive you to plant more and talk loudly to anyone you can re your concern for the future.

Martha

Chin up everyone :-)>
This morning I have no less than four adult Monarchs in the garden and a dozen or so cats. Last season, I think I saw a total of four and far less cats. And it's only 10:30AM !!
This is turning out to be a much better season...

John

Out here in the Chicago area, we've been having a lot of Monarch activity and it seems to be more than usual, but I know for sure that there is more Milkweed around now that we began a Wild Ones chapter here, and at every event we've gone to, we give away either seeds or seedlings. We also sold a lot for our plant sale. We've given them away at our local Farmer's Market; we've got several new pollinator/Monarch/wildlife gardens around now too.

I even set up a little box with an explanatory sign about the Monarchs and gave away milkweeds. People took them. Love it.

My daughter now has about 15 eggs all squirreled away--she's in charge of them.

I've done little programs on butterfly gardening and for kids, and I hear from those people/families about their successes. One woman raised over 100 Red Admirals this year! Isn't that amazing!

At our next event, we're giving a certificate to a little girl who raised and released Black Swallowtails. It was her neighbor's idea (neighbors are great mentors too!), so now I think that is something we are going to formalize more now.

So, my point is that if you're able to or willing get out there and just give away plants/seeds and teach people about what's happening. Contact your local garden clubs, etc., and see if they are interested in a presentation.

If you put in a public garden, try to get local media out there.

Oh, and at my son's daycare, our chapter donated plants and milkweeds to their garden. And guess what, yesterday we found 1st instar caterpillars. I've also brought them different caterpillars to watch growing and release, so these children and their parents are learning so much too. While I was there yesterday, and we found the cats, a little girl came over and saw the tiny hole and asked if there was a caterpillar there.

Wow, I am tired-too much writing.

HOORAY for the Chicago Chapter:) I spread the word and the weed to a coworker and now he has "Little crescent holes" in his Milkweed leaves. He has also encountered an BST ELF! Another coworker not so lucky--rabbits ate all his Milkweed >:(
I'll have to get him on Cocoa Hull mulch. Bunny repellant, smells luscious.
Working on a third coworker for next season...