I think that this same discussion occurs here every year during June and July. Everyone is looking for the butterflies and is dismayed because they aren't seeing many, myself included! :o) My biggest butterfly months here in NW GA are actually August-November. I suppose it is different for people who are north of me. It's been pretty darn quiet here in my yard over the past month, and I am only seeing an occasional Tiger SWT and some Skippers. The thing that is concerning to me right now is that my northern friends don't seem to have the Monarchs that they should have. Has anyone here reported having a lot of Monarchs right now?
Angie

Hello Bandjzmom !! yes, I have Monarch butterfly sightings in my yard:-) that happened since I bought crown flower plants from walmart. I have 2 caterpillars so far, one pupated yesterday. I have seen Chinese swallowtails hovering in my area daily, and I have gulf fritillaries as resident butterflies in my yard. I live in west Oahu, Hawaii btw :-), Aloha!!

Monarch sightings are down this year in the North Central part of the USA. We have seen a few, but not the numbers that have been seen in previous years. There are multiple causes for this, and one factor that stands out is the drought last year that affected Texas and Oklahoma. There were not very many flowers around to provide nectar to migrating monarchs, and there was not much milkweed around to serve as a host plant for female monarchs with eggs. I think that conditions have improved in the southwest USA, so maybe next year will be better.

I don't know if New Jersey counts as north, but it is north of Georgia, I guess! At any rate, I was at a local park two days ago where there is a large field of common milkweed, and I saw at least half a dozen monarchs flying around. Then, yesterday, I walked past the little pond near my Town hall where there is a good deal of swamp milkweed growing. I spotted a nice fat monarch caterpillar at least an inch and a half long. That was a welcome sight!
Liz

I'm certainly encouraged by recent sightings around Madison, WI just of late (Key operative word being LATE...). I saw another Monarch today and have been raising a steady, if small, number of Monarch cats.I have had a lot more BSTs and cats as well.