I can find eight.

Congrats on your wonderful butterfly day. 'Seems like things are hopping everywhere!

Sherry

I counted 12.

Nine? How fun, yesterday I had about 5 or 6 in my zinnias plus 2 hummingbirds, it was fun to watch while I picked green beans.

wifey2mikey has eagle eyes...great job. there are 12 in the picture.

There were so many monarchs in the yard today there was actually 6 nectaring on the joe pye weed! Until now, I had serious doubts it would ever attract butterflies.

I only counted 11 - but after I saw there were 12, I had to go back and find the one I missed. What a great pic!

That IS amazing! I don't think I've seen even two Monarchs at a time in my yard this summer.
Is it liatris ligulistylis?

christie- yes it is liatris ligulistylis (aka meadow blazingstar)

Garnet- thanks! those are hard photos to snap because there is so much wing flapping and flying around. I never know quite what I'm going to shoot.

Minrose- if you don't have ligulistylis, that should be #1 on your garden plant list! ;) You work so hard to raise all the monarchs! liatris gives you an opportunity to truly enjoy them.

Tony

I tried to start that one from seed this spring and got zero to germinate. I was so disappointed. I have more seeds though and I'm going to try again.
How long does yours stay in bloom?

Hi Christie, here is a page about liatris ligulistylis. Hopefully your seeds germinate this time. Are you going to be winter sowing them? Did you do any seed preparation last time? Tony

Here is a link that might be useful: Liatris ligulistylis

Thanks for the link Coolbutterfly. I winter sowed my liatris around February I think. Maybe they needed more cold strat or I let the containers get too dry/too wet or something. I experimented last year with clear containers that had white lids and I think it wasn't enough light for some things. Most germinated just fine but there were a few that didn't. Try try again.

well, if you want seeds later let me know. Last year, I just kept mine in a plastic bag in a dark cupboard. About a month before I started seeds indoors I cold stratified in the refrigerator.

Some of them sprouted. Unfortunately, I planted them at my sisters and they were buried in her 3 feet of super mulch....lol I'm surprised her whole garden wasn't destroyed in a mulchalanche! Tony

What a beautiful sight that must be.

quick update...as of sep 1st, they are still here in full force.

They are still mating. The egg laying has dropped way down but I'm still finding them here and there.

There are both females and males in the large group of 40+. A large group slumbers in the arbor vitae bushes and the rest take advantage of surrounding trees. today's high 95...tomorrows 76....they will be heading your way soon! Here's a pic of 16...can you find them all? Tony

{{gwi:525742}}

What a beautiful picture, Tony - that liatris is stunning!
I'm amazed that you've still got so many monarchs. I've got about 50 cats, 4 of which have made their chrysalis, and the rest are growing rapidly. Another female monarch came by and laid some more eggs on my milkweed, but not anywhere near 50.

I'll throw some fertilizer on the MW to prepare for the Minnesota monarch onslaught! :)

Sherry