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With Spring finally ahead for South Texas, the wildflowers will be in bloom and the monarchs will be in migration. But will the milkweed flower be ready in time?

This year with our late winter storm monarch butterflies will be in dire need of milkweed in order to make the migration from Mexico where they've been roosting during Winter.

As winter comes to an end and as the days grow longer ( Don't forget to spring forward Saturday night) monarchs will be on the move beginning their mating season leaving their Mexican roosts during the second week of March, flying to the North and East parts of America looking for milkweed plants on which to lay their eggs.

Here is an awesome video on Youtube for you to see a part of their great migration thanks to Boyd Matson.

 

Keep in mind, there are no other butterflies like monarchs. Their migration can sometimes include 3,000 miles, having survived a fall and winter flight while facing dangers like birds, predators, and environmental hazards to make their way to Mexico flying from even as far away as Canada!

If they return too early, before the milkweed is up in the spring, they will not be able to lay their eggs and continue the cycle. Here is a great video to share with family on the monarch's life cycle presented by 3244alpine on Youtube.

Planting milkweed this weekend through June is one of the best ways to help power their flight. Milkweed is sold at many of the Crossroads nurseries and monarchs will be in critical condition this year again, if we don't do our part to help.

There are several websites for you to get more information. Wildflower.org is a great place to get started, as well as Monarch watch.org.

I've been raising monarchs for most of my adult life, first getting involved in collecting and tagging monarchs after reading, Four Wings and A Prayer. Growing milkweed and raising monarchs has been one of my life's greatest joys and I encourage you to try it.

They will need us this year more than ever.

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