🦋 LATE Migrators Arrive 🦋

Happy Sunday Good GROWer,

it’s been an amazing week in our Minnesota butterfly garden. Last Sunday, I reported how quiet it had been this migration. Soon after I published that newsletter about 15 monarchs fluttered in from the north to stock up on nectar. A week later…they’re still here! 🦋🦋🦋🦋

I’ll let you know their preferred plants, and which could be good options for fall planting in your pollinator paradise.

But first, a quick report on our the monarchs we’re raising for Raise The Migration 2025…

Raising Report 

This has been a rough week with two monarch deaths.

The first was a caterpillar I found outside that didn’t look like it had molted properly…it was small, about an instar 2. ⬅️ I kept it separated it from other caterpillars in case there was a disease issue. ⬅️

The next morning, it looked better and had eaten a small hole in the leaf it was on. Unfortunately, that was the last time it would eat. Two days later, the small, fading caterpillar fell from the leaf on to the cage floor, so I euthanized it. If you bring in eggs ⬅️, occurrences like this are rare…

Death 2 was more troubling, and something I have never experienced during Raise the Migration (or if ever that I can recall with INDOOR raising). The j-caterpillar had just formed its chrysalis and was twisting around to shake the skin off. I went to the bathroom. When I came back the caterpillar skin and silk button were still attached to the roof, the chrysalis had plummeted to the cage floor, and was bleeding out.🥲 This seems to be a freak accident with no explanation… (there were no other caterpillars crawling around the cage, and I was no where near the cage when I left my office)

I was able to attach the cremaster to a cotton swab and hang the soft chrysalis, but unfortunately it would not stop oozing. The next day, it looked like this, and I had no choice but to euthanize:

On a more positive note, five healthy butterflies have emerged (starting September 14th) and 3 were released same-day (rarin’ to go) in the sultry summer heat.

Two more butterflies emerged yesterday. I released a female that eclosed earlier in the day, but the second did not emerge until afternoon on this low 70’s cloudy afternoon, so he’ll be released today to insure he has strong wings and enough energy to escape predators.

Spaced out between 3 caterpillar cages, 10 chrysalides remain.

The last caterpillar found the perfect place under the strap of protection so many choose to pupate under 🤷🏽‍♂️ He/she successfully formed its chrysalis on Saturday afternoon (September 20th)

🌿 Garden PLANT Report 🌺

What a difference a week makes!

Peak migration finally arrived in our garden and the butterflies had their choice of several butterfly plants in prime condition to support pollinators.

Here’s what the monarchs have been flocking to, in order of popularity:

1. Mexican sunflowers ⬅️ which have been continuously blooming since July…they require deadheading, but during weeks like this you’ll see that effort pay off in a bounty of butterflies! 🦋🦋🦋

   🎥 Monarchs on our Mexican sunflowers this week ⬅️
   
   

2. New England Asters ⬅️ This is the latest blooming plant in our garden and definitely a preferred nectar source for migrating monarchs. However, they were barely blooming when our late migrators arrived, so they would not have attracted them initially…Recommended for Fall Planting! 
   

3. Verbena Bonariensis ⬅️ This tall see-through annual is a preferred nectar source for monarchs IF you remember to keep up with deadheading. I cut back our plants about 3 weeks ago and they’re all in prime condition….the monarchs are flocking to them!
   
   

4. Zowie Yellow Flame Zinnias ⬅️ Monarchs love both zinnia types on this list, but they’re favoring the zowie yellow flame zinnias this migration season…you really can’t go wrong with either of these continuous blooming options.
   
   

5. Tall State Fair Zinnias
   
   

6. Mexican Flame Vine ⬅️ This climbing vine grew gloriously in our old garden, but it faltered with too much shade last season. The late migrators are frequent visitors to the bright orange nectar-filled blooms.
   
    

7. Lantana ⬅️ we only have one plant in our garden this season, but this continuous bloomer always has (at least) a couple monarchs on it
   
   

8. Tropical Milkweed ⬅️ this was in the running for top nectar plant last season, but is being largely ignored in our 2025 garden…preferences change from season to season so it’s always a good idea to have options both native and non for best results.
   
   

9. Tall Phlox ⬅️ it’s reblooming late season after being drastically cut back about a month ago…not a favorite late-season plant, but still gets regular visits from monarchs…Recommended for Fall Planting!
   

Past peak: purple giant hyssop (although definitely still getting some monarch activity), liatris ligulistylis, stiff goldenrod…all 3 recommended for fall planting!

Coming Up Next?

We’re fall planting PLANTS this week….more on what we’re planting (and why) in your next newsletter 🧑‍🌾🪴👩‍🌾

Until next time,

Tony your Butterfly Guide