First I’d like to say, “Thank you, el Niño.”
I haven’t seen the Llano River or the milkweed and other wildflowers this robust since 2010, the year before the historic Texas drought hit our state.
Antelope horns, Asclepias asperula, made a hearty showing in front of our porch. Under the breezeway deck, a lone Texas milkweed, Asclepias texana, was already sporting blooms. Down the trail, Pearl milkweed vine, Matelea reticulata, the lovely climber that boasts an attractive pearl-dotted flower, snuck up a nearby pencil cactus. Along the banks of the Llano River, Swamp milkweed, Asclepias incarnata, the pink-blooming host plant offered hearty stalks, broader-than-usual leaves and new stands in places we’ve never noticed.
Only one Monarch was spotted flying this weekend, but others had obviously passed through since their offspring were observed in various stages–eggs, just-hatched cats, second instar larvae and fifth instar caterpillars ready to bust their stripes and go chrysalis.
Prediction: 2015 will be a fantastic year for butterflies, Monarchs in particular. While the first three months of 2015 clocked as the hottest first quarter in history, it’s been mild and wet in our neck of the woods And that bodes well for butterflies and other pollinators.
Related posts:
- Late But Great Wildflowers to Greet Monarchs and other Pollinators
- Monarch Butterfly News Sparks Extreme Interest in NAtive Milkweeds
- Tropical Milkweed: To Plant it or Not, it’s not a Simple Question
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Launches Milkweed Monitoring Project
- Pollinator PowWow Draws 100s from Texas and Beyong
- Mega-Grower Colorspot to Consider Growing Chemical Free Milkweed
- Q&A with Dr. Lincoln Brower
- Survey: Monarch Butterfly Enthusiasts will Pay More for Clean, Native Milkweeds
- MIlkweed Guide for Central and South Texas
- Endangered Species Act Wrong Tool for the Job of Monarch Butterfly Conservation?
- How to Get Native Milkweed Seeds to Germinate
- How to Raise Monarch Butterflies at Home, Part One
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9 Responses
Melissa Skasik
Love the newsletter and all your pictures. We did a wildflower drive last weekend and saw alot of Antelope Horn milkweeds alongside the road. It looks like TXDOT has planted milkweed seeds along with the bluebonnets. The last picutre in your newsletter, the white flower, is a Penstemon. I believe it is a Penstemon digitalis, the Foxglove Beard Tongue Penstemon. We moved to New Braunfels from Santa Fe in 2003 and had lots of penstemons in our yard.
margaret tatum
I have to thank my son, Leslie Gilson for sending this site to me.
Craig "The Butterflyman"
The milkweed recovery from the worst drought in Texas history including , of course, the milkweed recovery at your ranch will result in a tremendous increase in overwintering butterflies in Mexico with a few summer and fall rains. Rain has always determined the amount of monarchs in the mountains of Mexico.
Lois
There are large stands of Penstemon cobaea along Rt. 281 near Hico.
Elaine
Thank you for your post and beautiful pictures. Here in Michigan I am anxiously awaiting the milkweed and monarchs. Glad to hear things are looking good down there in Texas. 🙂
Sandy Webb
This plant you are asking about looks like Penstemmon (Beardtongue) to me, but I could be wrong.
Monika Maeckle
Hmm. Thanks, everyone. Odd that we have never had it before. Bonus: I just read that it’s the host plant to Dotted Checkerspot. Gracias!
–MM
Carol Pasternak
Otherwise known as foxglove beardtongue.
Kip Kiphart
Penstemon cobaea