Where are the Monarchs
 

So far I have seen 2 Monarchs,most days I don't see any:sad:what's happening??
Last year my garden in the back(pic)had at least 10 Monarchs on any given day....:cry:

I already told you Chico, they are all in Queensville :laughing: Seriously we have no shortage of them, at least I don't. I have a host of Purple Flocks and they love it. I have so much of this plant and the smell is as good as any Rose, I am always trying to give it away, sadly none of my contacts wants any since it is prone to mildew :sad: It is also great at attracting Hummingbirds and what I call a Hummingbird Wasp, which is in fact a moth. What I am lacking right now though is Hummingbirds :shrug:

Your garden looks very pretty :thumbs up

:o Sorry Chico. I think I stole all the Monarchs. There are usually at least a dozen or so in the greenhouses all the time. And there seems to be lots flying around too.

Chris - it is a Hummingbird Moth. Neat, aren't they?

[QUOTE=14+kitties;635401]:o Sorry Chico. I think I stole all the Monarchs. There are usually at least a dozen or so in the greenhouses all the time. And there seems to be lots flying around too.

Chris - it is a Hummingbird Moth. Neat, aren't they?[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="Red"]They are neat, I stand and watch them and they don't seem to mind. Want any Purple Flocks :laughing:
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Well Chico - there you go between 14k and myself we have em' all so you are SOL :D

[QUOTE=Chris21711;635456Want any Purple Flocks :laughing:[/QUOTE]


Is it Phlox you are talking about? Could you take a pic please? :D I had some early stuff in May/June and now I have late white phlox open in the front garden. Is it the tall stuff? :shrug: I's confused. (doesn't take much)

I don't think I've seen more than 2 monarchs all summer! :eek: We don't get them in droves, but we usually get more than that!

Chris, I'll take some phlox! Actually, I have quite a bit, but the hummers love it and I want to put in more....oh...er...um....and the hummer scarcity seems to be my fault. You guys took the monarchs, I have the hummers (migration just starting) and poor chico got gypped out of everything! :yell: :sorry: chico! :grouphug:

Phlox is the purple stuff in this pic:

[ATTACH]40060[/ATTACH]

Here's a pic of the buds:

[ATTACH]40059[/ATTACH]

Once the next batch of film comes back, I'll have better shots of the phlox. I love watching the baby hummers learning to feed from them! :cloud9:

It's quite tall, Geri--mine is a about a meter tall.

Has there been too much rain? I haven't seem much of any kind of butterfly, not even cabbage butterflies. The only Monarchs I've seen were the night a nearby community sold tickets for a Monarch release, as a fundraiser. I took pup for a training walk there, as there would be lots of people, and belatedly thought, gee, won't look good if he snaps and gets one.:eek: He was interested but did not manage to devour any precious Monarch Butterflies.

I think that might have been a factor--there was too much rain and it was too cold. A good portion of the first flight failed this spring...for a lot of butterflies. We don't have near the swallowtails we usually do, either. :sad:

Chris,justabout every plant I have is butterfly friendly,last year I had tons of Monarchs and Swallow-tails,but like Longblades says rain could be a factor.
I love Phlox,I'll take some:laughing:
But I sure miss my Butterflies:sad:I have a lot of the little yellowish/white ones around,the cats love to chase them.

Last years Monarchs..and a Swallow-tail

[QUOTE=14+kitties;635488]Is it Phlox you are talking about? Could you take a pic please? :D I had some early stuff in May/June and now I have late white phlox open in the front garden. Is it the tall stuff? :shrug: I's confused. (doesn't take much)[/QUOTE]

:loser: that I am, I mean PHLOX, What a dumb nuts I am.
It's like the ones that Hazel is showing pics of 'cept mine are bigger and better :laughing: Mine this year are ranging in height from 2.5ft to about 4.5ft, some are really tall. I will try to wangel Ethel's camera from her tomorrow and post a pic. I also have the white and I just bought a new one that the leaf is varigated (I'd never seen that before). My Purple PHLOX is up for grabs I really have a lot.

[FONT="Arial Black"]Chico [FONT="Arial"]- feel consoled, I don't recollect seeing a Swallowtail this year :sad: Though I have Yellow Admirals.

[FONT="Arial Black"]Hazel -[FONT="Arial"]That is Black Eyed Susans non? My petals look all pointy this year, like what yours in the pic appear :confused:[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]

Chris,I don't feel consoled,I want my Butterflies:cry:
Where is Queensville,never heard of it:shrug:

[COLOR="Purple"][I]Beautiful pictures, chico! :cloud9: Are all your swallowtails black, chico? Ours are almost all yellow[/I][/COLOR]

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[QUOTE=Chris21711;635566]Mine this year are ranging in height from 2.5ft to about 4.5ft, some are really tall. ...

[COLOR="purple"][I]That's about how tall most of mine are, too--'cept for the ones out in the well 'garden'...they're escapees and not doing well amongst all the grasses... :o[/I][/COLOR]

...My Purple PHLOX is up for grabs I really have a lot.

[COLOR="purple"][I]Wish we were closer... sigh Does anyone know if you can divide phlox or if you just have to wait for it to seed itself into the area you want it to spread to? :confused:[/I][/COLOR]

[FONT="Arial Black"]Hazel -[FONT="Arial"]That is Black Eyed Susans non? My petals look all pointy this year, like what yours in the pic appear :confused:[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/QUOTE]

[COLOR="Purple"][I]Yep, black-eyed-susans. Not sure what variety, though. They're volunteers...the well garden is so grassy that prairie plants feel right at home there and move in all the time. :laughing: I had some out back along the cistern that were a little rounder-petaled last year. Not sure if it was a different variety or just the fact that they got more shade than the ones in the well garden this year :shrug:[/I][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=chico2;635569]Chris,I don't feel consoled,I want my Butterflies:cry:
Where is Queensville,never heard of it:shrug:[/QUOTE]

You do have Swallowtails Chico, you want them all or what :laughing: Yeh I know you do.

Never heard of Queensville :eek: It's about 10mins straight north of Newmarket. Right where the 404 ends, for now that is, they are working on the extension :sad:

chico, in the pic of your garden, what are the tall orange flowers to the left of the black-eyed-susans?

Ok,got to look for it on my map,too far away from Oakville,I think...for me to get Phlox.
Although I have no idea where I would plant anything else:laughing:

Hazel - if you want some earlier purple perennial phlox I can send you some seed if you PM your addy.

[QUOTE=Chris21711;635566]:loser: that I am, I mean PHLOX, What a dumb nuts I am.
It's like the ones that Hazel is showing pics of 'cept mine are bigger and better :laughing: Mine this year are ranging in height from 2.5ft to about 4.5ft, some are really tall. I will try to wangel Ethel's camera from her tomorrow and post a pic. I also have the white and I just bought a new one that the leaf is varigated (I'd never seen that before). My Purple PHLOX is up for grabs I really have a lot.

[FONT="Arial Black"]Chico [FONT="Arial"]- feel consoled, I don't recollect seeing a Swallowtail this year :sad: Though I have Yellow Admirals.

[FONT="Arial Black"]Hazel -[FONT="Arial"]That is Black Eyed Susans non? My petals look all pointy this year, like what yours in the pic appear :confused:[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/QUOTE]

No loser! That is the way it sounds phonetically. It's good. My white is very tall. About 4 ft right now. That's why I asked for the picture. It's ok, I know what it is like now. I don't have the variegated either. Is it more mildew resistant?

Chico, I can send you some seed too if you would like. It's the earlier one though so you won't get many butterflies around. I could even drop it off to you because we go right past your road when we go to TO. Let me know.

Here's some phlox flowers from close up--these are about 4 feet tall, up to my shoulders.

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Some (like these) are two-toned, some are solid shades of different pinks or purples, others are white. Butterflies and hummers really like them :cloud9:

I am going to have to figure out the"quote"thing:wall:
Hazel,I have seen mostly yellows this year,my pic is from last year,we don't get many though,hardly any butterflies this year:cry:

14+,I've never had any luck with seeds,but I could certainly try...too late for this year though,right??
Thank's for the offer...:thumbs up

I have yet to see a monarch this year, last year they were a lot.

I have seen a lot of yellow swallowtails.

[QUOTE=chico2;635581]Ok,got to look for it on my map,too far away from Oakville,I think...for me to get Phlox.
Although I have no idea where I would plant anything else:laughing:[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="Red"]Takes about an hour Chico. As far as where to plant, you can get that toiling man of yours to dig while you carry on sipping on your Marguerita :laughing:
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[QUOTE=14+kitties;635599]No loser! That is the way it sounds phonetically. It's good. My white is very tall. About 4 ft right now. That's why I asked for the picture. It's ok, I know what it is like now. I don't have the variegated either. Is it more mildew resistant?[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="Blue"]I am hoping that it is more mildew resistant 14k the flower is a very pale pink with darker throat and the leaf medium green and cream.[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Purple"][FONT="Arial Black"]Hazel - [FONT="Arial"]They separate very easily and transplant easily too, they must be one of the easiest plants to grow.[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR]
BTW - this morning they are about 1ft high :eek: They got so batted down by the rain yesterday evening, it's enough to make me want to weep :yell:

[QUOTE=chico2;636071]14+,I've never had any luck with seeds,but I could certainly try...too late for this year though,right??
Thank's for the offer...:thumbs up[/QUOTE]

Chico - you can just throw the seed where you want it next year as soon as the ground warms up and it should be good. After, of course, your hubby works up the ground. It isn't one of the hard to grow variety. :shrug: PM your addy and I shall send you some too.

And Chris, if you want some early stuff..PM me. If we can get together in the fall I will bring some seed along.

14+,I was hoping to be able to drive and meet you and all the kitties,but time is just flying by,soon it will be snowing:yell:
I might still,so keep those seeds handy,thank's:thumbs up

If you ever have any extra time on your way to TO,my house is really easy to find...just straight down 3rd line,the exit off the QEW.

ohoh, i want to come tooo, can i can i pleeeeease.:D

I'm late onto this thread but I have to say, Chico - your back yard looks absolutely gorgeous!

There is a noticeable absence of butterflies here too - all kinds. There's a noticeable absence of birds too - barn swallows particularly but some Purple Martins didn't return to their nests after a storm and all the baby Great Blue Herons have been killed by eagles. To top that one off, there are only 2 Bald Eagle nests in an area where there should be up to 20!

If anyone can figure out what's happened, I'd sure like to know...

The phlox pictures are beautiful! My phlox is just finishing now - it's a 2-toned blue with a beautiful delicate scent... mmm... beautiful..

Finally saw my [I]third[/I] monarch of the year today. :rolleyes:

Around here, I suspect a lot of first flights and first nestings failed because of the cold and rain this spring, Jan. I know the phoebes lost their first brood to the weather this year--too cold for bugs. They couldn't get enough to feed the babies, so they cut their losses and waited for warmer weather to try again. The wet and cold was hard on the first flights of butterflies, too....

Did you have a cold spring, too?

[QUOTE=chico2;637380]14+,I was hoping to be able to drive and meet you and all the kitties,but time is just flying by,soon it will be snowing:yell:
I might still,so keep those seeds handy,thank's:thumbs up

If you ever have any extra time on your way to TO,my house is really easy to find...just straight down 3rd line,the exit off the QEW.[/QUOTE]

I know the exit to get off to find you Chico. Just might take you up on that when we take the next batch in. :thumbs up

[QUOTE=JanM;637404]I'm late onto this thread but I have to say, Chico - your back yard looks absolutely gorgeous! [/QUOTE]

I'm late too and I also agree :thumbs up but there is one thing that is missing from your garden :sad: .....pictures of your handsome kitties. :lovestruck: