I like the big hairdo description. I don't think it's a technical term, though. :)

Congrats on your healthy Monarch! It is exciting, isn't it, to see a newly eclosed Monarch. The work of planting more milkweed might be paying off. I've read that this winter's number of returning Monarch's is estimated to be up by about 4 times the number that returned last winter. Whatever the reason for this increase, this is wonderful news!

This time of year is probably the slowest of the year around here. Things will pick up come next spring.

Thank you for caring and for planting for the butterflies.

Mary

I think only those of us in the far southern parts of the country are hosting butterflies now and paying attention to this forum.

Congratulations on your butterfly, foxden. It sure looks healthy.

Where you are (Miami area?) the tropical milkweed should spread fast without too much effort on your part. It comes up in many different parts of my garden.

I live about twenty miles west of Orlando in central Florida and we are having record-breaking warm weather here. It is supposed to be 84 on Christmas. That's just too darn hot. Still, today I went out and sat under a tree in my garden and saw five different types of butterflies--Polydamas, Skippers, Sulphurs, Gulf Frits and Monarchs. I can 't remember ever seeing so many butterflies this late in December.

We are in Sarasota. I am trying to get the Zebra Longwings but no luck

Foxden, that seed pod looks like perfection. Keep spreading the milkweed. I am also enthusiastic about milkweed and monarchs.

Butterflies never fail to surprise me with a nee experience. When you take a close look at the cchrysalis, one notice how well nature copies a nugget of gold. The color is incredibly similar to the point that some people actually believed they could mine it. Imagine their disappointment when the Monarch left the translucent cocoon, they didn't leave any gold behind.

I can assure you, you in for some very new and unusual experience. And there is always something to learn.

If you are ready to increase the number of host and nectar plants, you don't have to look any further than your own yard and garden. At least in Miami, Florida have numerous free plants that grow right on my lawn or garden. I have about twenty or so "WEEDS" that grow in my yard or my neighbor's. There are a lot of what I considered at one to be undesirable weeds that are actually host or nectar plants.

I have wild growing Corey Stem Passion Flowers. The flowers are not exotic nor impressive. They are only about a quarter of an inch. But this very veril and could grow up the very tall fence on my back yard and roll itself up at the top. I say could

Once you learn how to identify them, it become sort of a curse because you begging to see them growing everywhere school yards and parks lawn. In between hedgest. In parking lots and Metro Rail Station where I have found Coontie. All I have to do is look for a while before I find mature seed cpnes to germinateThere are ton of Corky Stem growing around Jackson Memorial Hospital.

There are also tons of Spanish Needles a great nectar plant that also host some type of Skipper. All I do is take care of them like any other garden plant fertalizing and water and prune the spent flowers and dry needles as needed and they'll grow as attractive as any other garden plants.

I don't want to make this post much longer as the screen is burning my eyes and am typing with one finger on my NotSoSmartPhones.

I still there are about another twenty or nectar and host plants that grows free in your yard and neighborhood. LOOK around the net. You will learn how to ID by photographs and how to grow them for ultimate grows and look. Try to grow them together. As you may know bf's vision are very out of focus. Growing them together will easily help the butterflies find nectar and host plants.

Foxden, Please don't feel you are the only one who is excited about your new-found enjoyment. Many of us, who spend our summers visiting the Butterfly Forum on a daily basis, don't have much to share at this time of year. This is my back yard today:

So, while we do have some wildlife, we don't have any butterflies. I am starting to think about planting seeds using the wintersowing method. There is a forum for that, and many of us cold-weather folk spend our winters there. I will try to check in occasionally to enjoy your experiences, but will definitely be back when the weather warms up around here.

Martha

Congrats on your success! I had one late season Monarch emerge today too, but I'm afraid there is something wrong with it, because it won't fly.