As an avid, amateur lepidopterist, I have thoroughly enjoyed the abundance of butterflies in my gardens over the past couple of weeks. Swallowtails have been the most visible as they feed on the nectar of the butterfly bushes throughout the area behind my home. While I adore all of them, none has captured my attention over the years like the Monarch. Therefore today I was delighted that finally one has arrived to signal the pending southward migration that will no doubt find dozens of Monarchs feasting on the flowers in my butterfly garden, and laying their eggs on the milkweed plants. As it turns out, the spring tree trimming was a great investment for the milkweed plants that seem taller than ever. The additional sunshine paired with generous rainfall produced very healthy tropical milkweed plants. There were so many plants in the spring that I thinned them and transplanted the seedlings to more spacious areas of the garden. Now I wait for the Monarchs to arrive in force. Once they have mated, the females can lay as many as 400 eggs each. When the eggs hatch and the caterpillars emerge, they will feast on the milkweed - and grow larger with each leaf they consume. As they reach maturity, I will place some of them in containers which I will take to area schools. The students will have the opportunity to witness metamorphosis. Once the caterpillars make their chrysalis and the butterflies emerge, students and teachers will be able to release the butterflies and witness the beginning of their journey southward. It will give me the chance to get a glimpse of what is happening in science classrooms, and hopefully give students and teachers a glimpse of the excitement and wonder of the natural world.
