Monarchs

[Hank & Priscilla Brodkin]

Paul Cherubini wrote:

> Arizona passage?  Hank did not mention anything about what direction
> the monarchs were flying in or the wind strength/direction at the time.
> 
> Asclepias subverticillata is fairly common at elevations between 3500-6000
> feet in Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico and it is normal
> for male monarchs to be found in abundance patrolling the flowering
> patches in July and August.  It is also normal for monarchs to be
> flying in all directions in early August.
> 

Paul -
There were too few individuals to be sure.  The few I have been seeing
"seem" to be moving south.  The winds, usually light, seem to come from
the southeast here this time of year.  A. subverticiallata is common in
parts of the San Simon Valley east of us.  I don't see it growing wild
in the Upper San Pedro Valley, but that does not mean it is not here. 
Usually I see at most two to three Monarchs a year in our yard - which
has Queen as a common butterfly most of the year.  The Queens seem to
use a very common vining milkweed, the name of which escapes me now, but
which has an onion-like odor and may not even be poisonous as the Native
Americans used the flowers for food.
Cheri plants native plants in her very interesting garden, including
sbverticillata - which perhaps proves the saying "If you plant it - they
will come".

-- 
	             Hank & Priscilla Brodkin
	          Carr Canyon, Cochise County, AZ
                   Send Mailto:hankb at theriver.com
             SouthEast Arizona Butterfly Association
          http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabasa/home.html
         "Butterflies of Arizona - a Photographic Guide" 
    by Bob Stewart, Priscilla and Hank Brodkin - due September 2001
         http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabasa/book.html

 
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