The Doom and Gloom is Banished by a Fluttering Wing

I heard on the news that there may be no Monarch butterflies this year.  I know their numbers are way down due to loss of critical habitat and feeding areas.  But I kept seeing them in my garden.  Day after day.  How could I see them if they are no more?  I decided to keep a watchful eye and just see how many I “saw”.

At the end of the gardening season last year I took some milkweed pods and opened them behind the garage in a small strip of garden along the alley.  Well, they must all have germinated.  And today they were put to very good use.  By some strange and some beautiful creatures.  All are welcome.  You can believe the news, or believe your eyes.

The milkweed in question.  Remarkably pretty for a weed.

Some guy I've never seen before.  And there were two of them.

A friend nearby on the Autumn Joy.  There were four of them.  And I know for a fact they were two couples.  Nuff said.

 And the Monarch.

This is the flightiest butterfly I have ever seen.  It took a lot of coaxing to get it to land. Seems to have just been using up tons, well, in Monarch measure, of energy flitting and looping and avoiding the milkweed.  But when it finally needed to refuel, I was lucky enough, and stubborn enough, to still be around.