The Monarch's SWEET Texas Nectar

It's that time of year for the Monarch Butterfly to head South for the Winter.

  An amazing and much anticipated migration from Canada to Mexico. 
With Texas being smack dab in the middle of the route to Mexico,

Texans gear up every year by creating Habitats for the Monarchs.

Butterfly gardens are easy to plant, and you can design one that gives monarchs habitat throughout their breeding cycle. As with all butterflies, you should grow plants that will host the eggs and feed the larvae ("caterpillar plants") and/or Provide nectar to adult butterflies ("nectar plants").

Milkweed is the monarch's larval plant. It is the host for egg-laying and the food for the larvae. Here are a few milkweed species you may be able to plant in your region:

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Adult monarchs will be attracted to gardens that provide nectar for them. Be sure to choose varieties of flowers that have early and late blooming times, so that nectar sources will be available throughout the season. Here are some favorite nectaring plants:

Purple coneflower

Sedum such as "Autumn Joy

Joe-Pye Weed

Rough Blazing Star

Butterfly Weed

Azaleas

Monarda

Phlox

Monarchs, like the majority of butterflies drink nectar from flowers through their tongues, which function much like straws.  From the list of nectaring plants, I have Autum Joy which blooms in perfect time for the Monarch Migration through Texas. 

It's past time for the Monarch Migration through Texas, but this Prince of Butterfly's must have gotten a late start and just yesterday, made a PitStop in my backyard to fill up for the Trip South of the Border.

Usually the Monarch's feed on the High Octane Autum Joy, but it was occupied.
Journey North's Monarch Butterfly Migration Website

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