Monarchs are now passing through Georgia as part of the fall
migration. They don’t just pass through – females may lay eggs here to create
another generation, likely the generation that will overwinter. Keep an eye on
your milkweed to see if caterpillars show up! Monarch caterpillars are milkweed
specialists and the female will only use milkweed for her eggs. Need help figuring out native milkweeds? Here's a good resource for Georgia residents.
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| Monarch resting on milkweed leaf |
The adults passing through also need abundant sources of
nectar to fuel their trip. Having summer and early fall flowers in your garden
will help them (as well as other pollinators). Milkweed flowers are not required for adult Monarch butterflies
as they are generalist when it comes to nectar sources; milkweed flowers are appreciated and pollinated by other insects such as bees and wasps. If you need ideas for fall flowering plants in North Georgia, check out my previous blog here.
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| American bumblebee on Echinacea |
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| Rudbeckia fulgida and bee |
I found two Monarch butterflies this week at my community
garden in Hoschton. It is a garden specifically created to attract and support
butterflies and is located on a vacant lot owned by the city. Volunteers and
the city helped create the planting area and residents adopted plots. We were
encouraged to plant native milkweed and native flowering plants. This effort
was modeled after a similar garden in a nearby neighborhood that has spurred residents to create beautiful plots.
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| Asclepias incarnata with wasp |
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| Asclepias tuberosa with bee |
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| The Oak Street Park sign at the garden |
