Fall Color

Not what you were expecting was it?

The monarch butterflies are migrating south. For the last couple of weeks now they have been flitting through the park, my back yard, down the freeway...

Its harder than heck to get a photo of a butterfly in flight. I got this one in coffee lady Martha's yard.

Every fall the monarchs on the western side of the Rockies migrate south to California. The ones East go to Mexico. Keep in mind the generation that migrate south has never been here before.

They over winter along the California coast...I live in the blue circle on the map above.

Every year I say I am going to go see the hundreds to thousands that hang in the trees....but I don't.

 At coffee last week, we were discussing how you never do the things close to home because you think , I can do that anytime...well, I came home from coffee and put "Visit butterflies" on the November calender. I am going this year, even scoped out the best butterfly viewing places....

I learned some interesting facts form this web site, the map is from there too..US forest service wildflowers

Facts such as:

• one generation migrates south , it takes 3 to 4 to move back north. 
• the generation that migrates south doses not complete its development to sexual maturity, allowing it a longer life span to winter over.
• spring time triggers the butterfly to finish its development , it mates,lays eggs.
•  the kids that hatch start the trip north. 

Nature is so darn amazing!