San Antonio’s 300for300 pollinator habitat initiative expands to 500 by 2020
In June we posed the question: should we push for 500 pollinator habitats by 2020? The overwhelming community response: “Let’s do this!” An informal two-question poll of 96 community members conducted on various social media platforms resulted in 93 YES … Read More
Study of “genetic franken monarchs” provokes online ire and debate
A new study that suggests monarch butterflies fostered from the wild or cultivated by commercial breeders have trouble migrating and can exhibit unusual genetic traits hit the monarch butterfly community this week. The reaction has been intense. “Boy, you gotta … Read More
Save the date! 2019 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival set for Oct. 12 – 20
The Texas Butterfly Ranch and our community collaborators are proud to present the 2019 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival, October 12 – 20. Now in its fourth year, the celebration of science, citizen science, art and understanding will take place … Read More
From seed to harvest, ornery agarita a challenge, but worth it
Fans of the evergreen bush known as agarita enjoyed a spectacular season this year, but hot temperatures are bringing agarita season, and the availability of its tart red berries, to an end. The evergreen bush, Mahonia trifoliata, makes itself known … Read More
300for300 pollinator initiative: 500 habitats by 2020?
It’s been a little more than a year since we launched our 300for300 Pollinator Habitat Challenge, a community initiative to encourage pollinator friendly landscaping in San Antonio. In March of 2018, we set out to create 300 pollinator gardens for San … Read More
Bordered Patch caterpillars, Cowpen Daisies, and 362 San Antonio pollinator habitats
Recent rains and a campaign to get Cowpen Daisies into area gardens as San Antonio’s “unofficial” pollinator plant of the year appear to have spawned an early crop of Bordered Patch butterfly caterpillars in the Alamo City. A mound of Chlosyne lacinia caterpillars … Read More
Three monarch butterflies tagged at San Antonio Festival recovered in Mexico
Three of 690 commercially bred monarch butterflies tagged and released at San Antonio’s 2018 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival were recovered in Mexico, citizen science organization Monarch Watch announced this week. Monarch Watch founder Chip Taylor, who oversees the citizen science … Read More
Plentiful wildflowers ready for first generation of monarch butterflies
South Texas is seeing an abundance of monarch butterfly caterpillars in recent weeks. Resulting chrysalises and butterflies suggest a robust 2019 monarch butterfly season as a bounty of wildflowers awaits. Monarchs typically leave their overwintering roosts in the Mexican mountains … Read More
Q&A: Migration expert Andy Davis says for monarchs, it’s “survival of the biggest”
Migration studies expert Andy Davis sometimes finds himself at odds with the running narrative of the monarch butterfly migration. Davis, a research scientist in the University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology, specializes in conservation physiology, a developing field that … Read More
Popularity of pollinator gardens growing in areas prone to drought
No longer the niche interest of gardening geeks, pollinator gardens and native plants are gaining traction–especially in areas of the country prone to long hot summers and drought. Growing awareness of climate change, sustainability issues, and insect decline have encouraged … Read More
Monarch butterflies head our way as big wildflower bloom awaits
Monarch butterflies have begun their multi-generation migration north from Mexico, following a season that counted their largest overwintering population in a decade. Favorable conditions in South Texas suggest we may be in for another great year. Early reports had the … Read More
Cowpen Daisy: how to grow Verbesina encelioides from seed
Like many members of the sunflower family, Cowpen Daisy, Verbesina encelioides, germinates easily from seed. Sometimes called Butter Daisy or Golden Crownbeard, Cowpen Daisy is sometimes included in native seed mixes, but it’s almost impossible to find the seeds for sale on … Read More
Cowpen Daisy, San Antonio’s unofficial pollinator plant of the year
Attention citizen gardeners! We need your help in creating demand for an unsung hero of the pollinator garden, Cowpen Daisy, Verbesina encelioides. To get this plant some well-deserved attention, we’re naming it “San Antonio’s unofficial pollinator plant of the year” … Read More
Migrating monarch butterfly population vaults 144%, highest in 12 years
The population of monarch butterflies that overwinter in Mexico has jumped more than 144% over last year, Mexican officials announced today. The butterflies occupied 6.05 hectares (about 15 acres) of the high altitude Mexican forests this year, up from 2.48 hectares (about … Read More
Monarch butterfly population up in Mexico, down in California
When it comes to the 2019 monarch butterfly population, the numbers suggest catastrophe in California and a rebound in Mexico. On the west coast, the news is dismal. The western population of monarch butterflies, which travel up and down the … Read More
San Antonio exceeds goal of 300 pollinator gardens for city’s Tricentennial year
Congratulations, San Antonio! We rallied in December to hit and surpass our goal of 300 new pollinator habitats for San Antonio’s 300th birthday, finishing the year with 325 gardens pledged. The year-long initiative, launched here at the Texas Butterfly Ranch … Read More
Flutterby Gardens: a commercial butterfly breeder’s work is never done
Late November means “slow season” at Flutterby Gardens, a commercial butterfly farm in Bradenton, Florida. But that doesn’t mean Connie Hodsdon can sleep in. Hodsdon has monarch eggs to roll. The pentas, one of her favorite nectar plants, need to … Read More
Documentary Showcases San Antonio’s Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival
The New York City-based website Nationswell has produced an 11-minute documentary featuring the third annual San Antonio Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival at the Pearl with an additional focus on the feared impact of the Trump Administration’s border wall on the … Read More
So close! San Antonio 300for300 pollinator garden initiative at 245
A community wide pollinator habitat initiative launched in April of this year is only 55 gardens away from reaching its goal of 300 pollinator habitats for San Antonio’s 300th birthday. The grass-roots effort began as a way to satisfy an … Read More
Weird, late monarch butterfly migration finally reaches Mexico
Migrating monarch butterflies finally made it to the Mexican mountains last week–late, but intact. For months, scientists and citizen scientists have been predicting the largest migration in a decade, but the insects have taken their time arriving at their winter … Read More
San Antonio’s 300for300 pollinator habitat initiative moves into home stretch
A crowd of thousands at San Antonio’s third annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival pushed the city’s community wide pollinator gardening initiative into its home stretch this week. Our friends at MP Studio worked the October 21 Festival and collected … Read More
San Antonio celebrates third annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival at Pearl
Mother Nature took a short break from the rainiest autumn in memory to celebrate the third annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival on Sunday. The three-day Festival rallied as the clouds parted, the sun shone and temperatures hovered in the … Read More
Forest Ecologist and NWF monarch specialist to appear at Butterflies w/o Borders Forum
Forest ecologist and National Wildlife Federation Monarch Outreach Coordinator Rebeca Quiñonez-Piñòn will trek from Austin to San Antonio October 19 to participate as a panelist in Butterflies without Borders: the Monarch Migration and our Changing Climate. The event will be presented … Read More
Award-winning journalist and author to talk pesticides at Butterflies w/o Borders Forum
For Carey Gillam, it all started in Kansas City in 1998 with farmers, an herbicide, genetically modified crops, and the agriculture giant that created them: Monsanto. Author and investigative journalist Gillam had been working for financial wire services Thomson Financial … Read More
Litigant in Trump border wall dispute to speak at Butterflies without Borders forum
Never in a million years could Marianna Treviño Wright imagine herself center stage in a lawsuit against the federal government. But that’s where the executive director of the National Butterfly Center (NBC) finds herself today. Treviño-Wright was conducting her normal … Read More
300for300 Pollinator Habitat Initiative Reaches Halfway Point
The 300for300 Pollinator Garden Initiative, our community wide effort to plant 300 new pollinator gardens for San Antonio’s Tricentennial year reached, 150 sign-ups this week. That means we’re halfway to our goal of 300, with about three weeks to our … Read More
A tense online debate: raising monarch butterflies at home
The growing popularity of raising monarch butterflies at home has sparked a contentious debate among citizen scientists, professional academics, and butterfly enthusiasts. Scientists and citizen scientists have expressed concerns about the legions of amateurs who are breeding large numbers of … Read More
Banner year for monarch butterfly migration? Texas Hill Country ready
The 2018 monarch butterfly migration is off to a great start. Members of the DPLEX, an email listserv and online community that includes hundreds of monarch butterfly aficionados throughout Canada and the U.S., have begun the annual frenetic email exchange launched by … Read More
Monarch expert Karen Oberhauser to speak at Butterflies without Borders forum
The sensory overload of walking into a forest that holds a billion Monarchs. That’s what biologist Karen Oberhauser, Ph.D, remembers most vividly from her first trip to the monarch butterfly roosting sites in the Mexican mountains more than 20 years … Read More
Butterflies w/o Borders: Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival set for Oct. 19 -21
The third annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival, three-days of science, art, education and celebration, will take place October 19 -21 in San Antonio at the Pearl. The mission of the Festival is to raise awareness and appreciation of insect … Read More
Update: San Antonio 300for300 pollinator habitat map activated
Great job, San Antonio! Our 300for300 pollinator habitat initiative continues to pick up steam, with a dozen habitats pledged in the last two weeks. Check out the beautiful photos in this post of Candy Roach’s newly installed pollinator habitat in … Read More
Snout-nosed butterfly population surges in South Texas following recent rains
Monarch butterflies will be moving through the Texas Funnel soon, but in the meantime, another orange-and-black butterfly has arrived in droves. The American Snout butterfly, Libytheana carinenta, has been moving up the IH-35 pollinator corridor, clogging windshields and car grills along the way. … Read More
Texas Hill Country bat cave closure provokes concerns about aerosal pesticides
A State investigation is underway at a bat cave near Mason, Texas, after the spraying of pesticides by the neighboring exotic game ranch wafted onto the nature preserve, threatening harm to visitors and the 1.6 million Mexican free-tailed bats that visit there each … Read More
300for300 update: pollinator habitat yard signs in, 223 gardens to goal
In April, the Texas Butterfly Ranch announced a plan to create 300 new pollinator garden habitats for San Antonio’s 300th birthday. Since, we’ve been working with community collaborators to reach our 300 garden goal in this Tricentennial year by October … Read More
Public hearing in Austin: “Texas beekeepers relying on honey production are in peril”
A public hearing at the Texas State Capitol on Wednesday brought together dozens of experts and legislators to discuss the declining monarch butterfly and bee populations in the state. Agriculture, tourism, recreation and hunting all rely on the free ecosystem … Read More
Hot summer days perfect time to solarize, convert turf to pollinator habitat
Front yard struck by high temperatures and a lack of rain? Grass looking a little dead? Perhaps you should consider solarization, an easy, chemical-free method that can convert water-guzzling grass to a glorious butterfly garden. Solarization offers a low-cost, low … Read More
Butterflies without Borders Forum 2018: Migration, politics, and pesticides
Monarch butterfly and forestry scientists, a litigant in the border wall dispute, and an activist journalist who has taken Monsanto to task will gather to discuss the future of the Americas’ most iconic insect October 19 at Butterflies without Borders: … Read More
Pollinator habitat success story: Collins Garden Elementary lives up to its name
Gifted and talented teacher Chéri Tondre floats between four different elementary school campuses in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) each week. Beacon Hill, Martin Luther King Academy, Hirsch and Collins Garden Elementary all share the energetic teacher’s time. … Read More
Vote! For your favorite San Antonio 300for300 Pollinator Habitat yard sign
We’ve been working with our community collaborators to execute San Antonio’s 300for300 pollinator habitat initiative, announced earlier this spring. And yes, we’re a little behind–but then a garden is a process, not a project, right? So far, 48 pollinator gardeners … Read More
Monarch Zones: bold move or bad idea for expanding monarch butterfly population?
MARION, IOWA–Hundreds of fourth and fifth instar monarch caterpillars have replaced prize-winning show horses as the preferred livestock at Clearwater Farm in Linn County, Iowa. The hungry creatures nosh on common milkweed in a mesh enclosure inside the barn’s lab … Read More
Pollinator plants and family fun at Monarch Watch Spring Open House
LAWRENCE, KANSAS — Carol Rooker and Marilyn Harnisch drove in from Baldwin just 12 miles away to attend the Monarch Watch Annual Spring Open House and Fundraiser Plant Sale on Saturday. The women are Master Gardeners and overseeing a pollinator … Read More
Five monarch butterflies tagged and released at San Antonio Festival made it to Mexico
Five out of 720 commercially reared monarch butterflies tagged and released at our 2017 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival in San Antonio were recovered in Mexico, citizen science organization Monarch Watch announced this week. The five tags constitute 0.54% of … Read More
300for300 San Antonio: Tricentennial pollinator habitat initiative announced
SAN ANTONIO — The Alamo City celebrates its Tricentennial birthday this year and the Texas Butterfly Ranch is comemmorating the occasion by working with our favorite community collaborators to plant 300 pollinator habitats in honor of San Antonio’s 300th birthday. … Read More
Planning a pollinator garden? Here’s tips on how to do it
Planning a pollinator garden? Here’s some times on how to do it.… Read More
Climate change blamed for 15% drop in migrating Monarch butterfly population
Climate change and a copper mine challenge a smaller monarch butterfly migration… Read More
Bracken Cave bats moving north from Mexico two weeks earlier, more overwintering in Texas
Migrating bats arriving two weeks early to Texas from Mexico. … Read More
San Antonio Zoo to celebrate third annual Monarch Fest this weekend
San Antonio Monarch Fest happens this weekend at the San Antonio Zoo.… Read More
Monarch butterfly Valentine: how do we love thee?
A recycled love letter to our favorite insect: Monarch butterfly, how do we love thee?… Read More
Eavesdropping on Monarch butterflies via live stream at Cerro Pelón, Mexico
Sounds of nature: Monarch butterflies’ symphony of wings now available from Mexico via live stream.… Read More
At war with Agave Americana: tenacious plant resists chainsaw, digging, fire
At war with Agave americana: a tenacious plant that forms gnarly colonies when not managed properly.… Read More
Q & A: Seed-balls.com founder says "throw and grow" gardening often doesn’t work
The truth about seed balls: they don’t always germinate, but they engage people on many levels. Plus, they’re fun to make.… Read More
Winter Solstice signals time to make wildflower seed balls–here’s how
Here comes the Solstice and that means it’s a great time to make wildflower seed balls for next year’s wildflower meadow. Here’s how to do it.… Read More
Dreamy visit to Mexico’s Monarch butterfly roosts ends in rabies shots, credit card fraud
A dreamy sojourn to the Monarch butterfly roosting sites in Mexico ends with a dog bite, rabies shots, and credit card fraud. … Read More
Monarch butterfly expert Dr. Karen Oberhauser to speak in San Antonio Nov. 8
Monarch butterfly guru Dr. Karen OBerhauser will be in San Antonio to share the state of the union of the Monarch migration Tuesday, November 7. … Read More
Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival soars in San Antonio
The Texas Butterfly Ranch’s 2017 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival Soars in San Antonio… Read More
Happy Monarch butterfly birthday suggests spectacular 2017 migration season
Early clusters of Monarch butterflies arrive in the Texas Hill Country in what looks to be a spectacular 2017 migration season.… Read More
Happy Equinox, ya'll: here's how to track the Monarch migration from your desk
Happy Equinox, ya’ll. Monarch butterflies heading our way, respond to cues from sun.… Read More
Move over Monarch butterflies, Painted ladies are coming to town
Move over Monarch butterflies! The Painted ladies are coming!… Read More
"Monarchy" members Chip Taylor, Elizabeth Howard to join Butterflies w/o Borders Panel
Monarch butterfly conservation rock stars Chip Taylor of Monarch Watch and Elizabeth Howard of Journey North will join a “Butterflies without Borders” panel discussion on the Monarch Butterfly Migration and Our Changing Climate in San Antonio. … Read More
Here they come! Texas Hill Country ready for robust Monarch butterfly migration
Stands of flowering milkweed and late summer flowers await migrating Monarch butterflies in the Texas Hill Country this season. The iconic black and orange butterflies are projected to arrive here in about six weeks. Every year around Labor Day, we … Read More
Nice job, Michigan: milkweed and nectar plants bolster Monarch butterfly migration
Milkweeds and nectar plants ready in Michigan as Monarch butterflies start their migration … Read More
Butterflies without Borders: Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival set for October
Dust off your wings and save the dates: the 2017 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival in San Antonio will take flight Friday – Sunday, October 20 – 22, 2017, celebrating the magic and majesty of the Monarch butterfly migration. For … Read More
Border wall at National Butterfly Center violates property rights and worse
If I ever pulled up to our Llano River ranch road to find a work crew, heavy machinery, pink flagged survey stakes, and trees slashed to the ground, I’d likely grab my husband’s shotgun. But Marianna Treviño Wright, director of … Read More
Success! Petition spurs rangers' reinstatement at Monarch butterfly roosting forest
Online petition spurs reinstatement of park ranger patrols at Monarch butterfly roosting sites in Mexico.… Read More
Fungus among us: Wildroot Organic praises the magic of mycorrhizal fungi
David Steinbrunner remembers the exact moment he decided to go organic. The Texas A&M University football quarterback and horticulture major and a fellow student were tasked with tending the campus pecan orchard in 1979. Their assignment: spray the trees for … Read More
Commercially raised Monarch butterfly released in Grapevine, TX makes it to Mexico
They said it couldn’t be done. That a commercially raised Monarch butterfly couldn’t migrate. But Jenny Singleton of the Grapevine Butterfly Flutterby Festival and one commercially grown Monarch proved that a butterfly tagged and released in Texas can find its way … Read More
RIP: The all too short life of a gnarly pecan tree
High winds took out our gnarly pecan tree this week. WE will miss its service.… Read More
Beyond Monarch butterflies: pollinators and politics at Texas Pollinator PowWow
Pollinators and politics center stage at 2017 Texas Pollinator Pollinator PowWow in Nacogdoches … Read More
Pollinator favorite: Cowpen Daisy plays host to Bordered Patch butterfly
Cowpen Daisy, Verbesina encelioides, goes on the Texas Butterfly Ranch Favorite Species List (FSL). This plant is a rock star. It starts blooming in March and continues through November. Keep deadheading, and Cowpen Daisy puts out prolific blooms, abundant seeds, and … Read More
Agrawal: Milkweeds don’t need Monarch butterflies, but Monarchs need milkweed
Monarch butterflies and milkweed. We’ve explored the subject many times right here at the Texas Butterfly Ranch. But author Anurag Agrawal’s recently published Monarchs and Milkweed, A Migrating Butterfly, a Poisonous Plant, and their Remarkable Story of Co-evolution adds a new dimension … Read More
Monarch butterflies head north as Mexican scientists try to move their forest
Stressed Monarch butterflies head our way as Mexican scientists try to move their overwintering forest.… Read More
Monarch butterfly Valentine: how do we love thee? Let us count the ways…
Monarch butterfly Valentine. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways.… Read More
Monarch butterfly migrating population drops 27%, freak sleet storm to blame
Officials in Mexico announced Wednesday that the population of migrating Monarch butterflies dropped 27% this season, marking a setback in two consecutive years of growth from the historic low of 2014. A freak sleet storm gets the blame. Just last year, … Read More
Monarch Champions: San Antonio elected officials submit to butterfly's charms
Want to see changes in Monarch butterfly and pollinator advocacy in your city? Give elected officials some milkweed and a Monarch caterpillar.… Read More
Weather extremes create quandary: what to do with late season butterflies?
What to do with late season butterflies when the weather turns cold.… Read More
Frostweed earns its name with intriguing ice sculptures upon first frost
Frostweed earns its name as first frost turns rock star nectar plant into ice crystal artist.… Read More
Q & A: Dr. Anurag Agrawal challenges Monarch butterfly conservation conventional wisdom
Contrarian Dr. Anurag Agrawal dared to suggest that the focus on milkweed in Monarch butterfly conservation might be misplaced.… Read More
Climate Change and the Monarch Butterfly Migration Symposium tackles tough questions
Climate change and the Monarch butterfly migration tackles tough questions with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe and citizen scientists… Read More
What will happen to pollinator advocacy under President Trump?
What is the future of pollinator advocacy under a Trump administration?… Read More
San Antonio’s first Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival a roaring success
San Antonio’s first Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival a roaring success… Read More
Monarch migration update: winds from south, hot temps stall butterflies on Llano River
Monarch butterflies stalled on Llano River by wind gusts from the south.… Read More
Can't get outside? Here's how to track the Monarch butterfly migration from your desk
Can’t get outside? Here’s some cool tools to track the Monarch butterfly migration from your desk.… Read More
Butterfly bonanza: Monarch tagged in Oklahoma netted on Llano River in Texas
Monarch butterfly tagged in Oklahoma netted in the Texas Hill Country 350 miles away… Read More
Climate change expert Dr. Katherine Hayhoe at TribuneFest: "Hopelessness is hopeless"
Climate change expert Dr. Katherine Hayhoe at Texas Tribune Festival: “Leave the science behind” when convince people to combat climate change… Read More
McAllen, Texas becomes second NWF Monarch Butterfly Champion City
McAllen, Texas follows San Antonio to become second National Wildlife Federation Monarch butterfly Champion City… Read More
Invasion of Snout-nosed butterflies returns to Central and South Texas
No, they’re not Monarchs. Invasion of snout #butterflies returns to Texas.… Read More
Llano River: Late season nectar plants await Monarch butterfly migration
Llano River: late season nectar plants await Monarch butterfly migration in Texas in what is expected to be a down year… Read More
Monarch butterflies heading our way, but not as many as we hoped
Monarch butterflies heading our way but not as many as we’d hoped to see. … Read More
When aphids suck the life from your milkweed, here's how to safely get rid of them
How aphids SUCK the life out of your milkweed and what you can do to get rid of them… Read More
That ain’t no Monarch: meet these OTHER caterpillars that feed on milkweed
Monarch butterflies are the most famous feeders of milkweed, but these OTHER caterpillars are also fans.… Read More
Save the date: Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival in San Antonio Oct. 20-22
Save the date for San Antonio’s Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival Oct. 21 – 22, 2016… Read More
Texas Comptroller awards $500K in Monarch research grants to Texas universities
$500K to Texas A&M and Sam Houston State University to study Monarch butterflies, thanks to Texas State Comptroller’s Office… Read More
US Fish and Wildlife Service gets three more years to evaluate Monarch butterfly ESA status
USFWS gets three more years to evaluate Monarch butterfly ESA status.… Read More
Mexico, Canada and Obama recommit to conserving Monarch butterfly migration
Obama and Presidents of Mexico, Canada meet to talk clean energy, climate change and Monarch butterflies.… Read More
Texas brakes for butterflies: "Monarch Highway" comes to IH35
Texas brakes for butterflies: Fasten your seatbelt for the Monarch Highway coming to IH35… Read More
Trinity students continue battle with Johnson grass–Goldenrod winning
Trinity students help combat Johnson grass on the Llano River in the Texas Hill Country.… Read More
Coming soon? Grupo Mexico copper mine in heart of Monarch butterfly roosting sites
Grupo Mexico trying to reopen copper mine in pristine forest that is home to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Preserve.… Read More
New study: nectar plants more important than milkweed for Monarch butterfly migration
It’s not just about the milkweed: new study says nectar plants may be more important in helping save the Monarch butterfly migration.… Read More
And the winner of the Fiesta 2016 butterfly medal contest is…
And the winner of our 2016 Fiesta San Antonio #butterfly medal is…… Read More
Viva Fiesta! Vote for your favorite Fiesta San Antonio butterfly medal
San Antonio goes butterfly crazy with 2016 Fiesta medals. Vote for your favorite!… Read More
Scientists try to assess Monarch butterfly mortality after Mexican freeze
Scientists continue to assess the mortality rate of Monarch butterflies in the aftermath of a freak winter storm at their roosting sites in Mexico.… Read More
At least 1.5 million Monarch butterflies perish in deadly ice storm in Michoacán
Freak freeze in Mexico kills roosting Monarch butterflies just as they’re getting ready to migrate north.… Read More
Red Admiral butterflies everywhere
Friendly Red Admiral butterflies on the move in South Texas.… Read More
Good news! Monarch butterfly population triples
Good news! Monarch butterfly population triples!… Read More
San Antonio Zoo to stage three-day Monarch Fest March 4-6
San Antonio Zoo hosts first Monarch (butterfly) Fest March 4 – 6… Read More
How to plan a successful butterfly and pollinator garden
Planning your 2016 pollinator and butterfly garden? HEre’s tips on how to do it.… Read More
Commercial butterfly breeders: industry has vested interest in raising OE-free butterflies
Guest post: Commercial butterfly breeders, under siege, say industry has esgted interest in raising OE-free butterflies… Read More
Lawsuit seeks ESA Monarch butterfly listing, turns up heat on commercial breeders
Lawsuit threat on ESA Monarch butterfly listing turns up heat on commercial butterfly breeders… Read More
Texas Comptroller's office provides update on Monarch butterfly research, ESA status
Texas State Comptroller’s office gives update on Monarch butterfly research, endangered species listing… Read More
Monarch Champion status NOT "just talk," will change how San Antonio manages land
San Antonio, Monarch Butterfly Champion: Mayor’s Pledge “NOT just talk,” will change policy… Read More
Time to harvest seeds, make (small) seedballs for next year's wildflowers
It’s time to harvest seeds and make seedballs to increase next year’s wildflower bounty.… Read More
Guidance on milkweed management confuses butterfly gardeners
Official guidance from scientists about what to do regarding late season milkweed is confusing gardeners.… Read More
Late season Monarch butterflies create gardening quandary
Late season Monarch butterflies beg lots of questions about best practices for pollinator gardening.… Read More
Mighty Monarch butterflies brave south winds, Hurricane Patricia to arrive in Mexico
Mighty Monarch butterfly migration braves strong winds, redirects, Hurricane Patricia to arrive in Mexico… Read More
Q & A: Journey North’s Elizabeth Howard talks tech, citizen science, mass butterfly releases
Journey North founder Elizabeth Howard talks technology, citizen science and mass butterfly releases.… Read More
How to tag a Monarch butterfly in six easy steps
Wondering how to tag a Monarch butterfly? Here’s how to do it in six easy steps.… Read More
Butterfly FAQ: How to move a Monarch butterfly chrysalis
Butterfly FAQ: How to move a Monarch butterfly chrysalis. … Read More
Q & A: Catalina Trail, founder of the Monarch butterfly roosting sites
Q & A with Catalina Trail, founder of the Monarch butterfly roosting sites.… Read More
2015 a banner year? Monarch butterfly migration heading our way
Monarch butterflies heading our way in what could be a banner year for the migrating insects… Read More
Increased cash, awareness, rain, egg-laying: good news for 2015 Monarch butterfly migration
Monarch butterfly migration likely to be robust thanks to rain, fertile egg laying in the Midwest and raised public awareness.… Read More
Monarch Butterfly Release "Better than any church service"
A release of 93 Monarch butterflies was the perfect gesture to honor my late father’s life. … Read More
Five Texas Moths for Enjoying Year-Round Moth Week
Here’s five fine Texas moths that will help you enjoy moth week all year round.… Read More
Moth Night San Antonio: Lotsa MOTH-ers, Fewer Moths, $ for Urban Natural Areas
Lotsa MOTH-ers, fewer moths, and funds raised for Friends of San Antonio Natural Areas at first official Moth Night San Antonio.… Read More
Q&A: Moth Week Spokesmoth Manduca Sexta Says Moths Get No Respect
Q&A with National Moth Week Spokesmoth Manduca Sexta: Moths Don’t Get no Respect… Read More
$300K Grant Awarded to UTSA to Study Monarch Butterfly, Inventory Texas Milkweeds
San ANtonio’s UTSA receives $300K grant to study Monarch butterflies and native Texas milkweeds.… Read More
Join us! Malt, Hops and Moths: Moth Night at the Alamo Brewery July 23
July 23: Join us at the Alamo Brewery for Malt, Hops and Moths, in San Antonio, a celebration in honor of National Moth Week… Read More
Happy Pollinator Week! Unpaid Workers of Our Food Web Deserve Respect and Resources
Happy Pollinator Week! Events celebrate the unpaid workers that make our food possible.… Read More
Trinity Students Tackle Invasive Johnson grass on Llano River
Trinity University students make war on Johnson grass on the Llano River in the Texas Hill Country.… Read More
IH35 to become Pollinator Corridor for Bees, Monarch Butterflies, and other Pollinators
IH35 to become pollinator corridor for Bees, Monarch butterflies and other pollinators.… Read More
Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterflies Everywhere: Here’s How to Raise Them at Home
Eastern Black Swallowtails are everywhere this season: here’s how to raise them at home.
… Read More
Tropical Milkweed OK for Monarch Butterflies, "Just Cut the Dang Stuff Down”
Debate continues: Tropical milkweed Ok for Monarch butterflies, “just cut the dang stuff down.”… Read More
Thanks, El Niño: Llano River Hosts Milkweed Buffet for Monarchs and other Butterflies
Thanks, El Niño. Cooperative weather makes for milkweed buffet along Llano River for Monarchs and other butterflies.… Read More
Coming soon: LIVE from the Mariposario, Dispatches from my Butterfly House
My Mariposario: Family makes multi generation migration to downtown San Antonio.… Read More
Let the Migration Begin: Milkweeds Sprout as Monarch Butterflies Arrive in Texas
Here they come! Monarch butterflies arriving in Texas just as milkweeds start to sprout.… Read More
Late-but-Great Wildflowers to Greet Monarchs and other Pollinators
Wildflowers and milkweeds running late for migrating Monarchs and other pollinators. A late-but-banner wildflower season in store.… Read More
Marine Biologist Launches App to Track Monarch Butterflies on Oil Rigs in Gulf
Marine biologist develops app to track Monarch butterflies on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.… Read More
Wildly Successful: Pollinator PowWow Draws Hundreds from Texas and Beyond
Wildly successful Texas Pollinator PowWow sings the praises of birds, bats, beetles, butterflies in Austin.… Read More
Mega Grower Color Spot Nursery to Consider Growing Clean, Chemical-free Milkweed
Mega grower Color Spot Nursery is considering growing clean, chemical free milkweeds for Monarch butterfly fans.… Read More
Q & A: Dr. Lincoln Brower talks Ethics, Endangered Species, Milkweed and Monarchs
Q&A with Dr. Lincoln Brower on Bioethics, Endangered Species, Monarch Butterflies and milkweed… Read More
Survey: Monarch Butterfly Enthusiasts Will Pay More for Clean, Chemical Free Milkweed
Survey: Monarch butterfly fans say they will pay MORE for chemical free milkweeds to feed hungry caterpillars.… Read More
FINALLY! Monarch Butterfly News Spurs Extreme Interest in Native Milkweeds
Good news, bad news of Monarch butterfly numbers. Still dangerously low, but milkweed awareness is at an alltime high.… Read More
Monsanto: "We are absolutely committed" to Monarch butterfly conservation
Monsanto says they are “absolutely committed” to Monarch butterfly conservation.… Read More
Q & A: Edith Smith, Shady Oak Butterfly Farm, talks Endangered Species Act and More
Q&A: Butterfly Breeder Edith Smith talks about Monarchs possible listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and more… Read More
Monarch Butterfly Inches Toward "Threatened" Status under Endangered Species Act
Monarch butterfly moves closer to threatened status under the Endangered Species Act. Comment period begins tomorrow.… Read More
2014: From Worst Year for Monarch Butterflies to Rebound, Increased Pollinator Awareness
Texas Butterfly Ranch’s top posts of 2014–from worst year for Monarch butterflies to a rebound and increased awareness of pollinator crisis.… Read More
Texas Parks and Wildlife Launches Milkweed Monitoring Project
Texas Parks and Wildlife launches a crowdsourced milkweed monitoring project for the Lone Star State.… Read More
Q & A: Grad Student Dara Satterfield on Tropical Milkweed and Monarch Butterflies
Graduate student Dara Satterfield caused quite a flutter recently when she was featured in the New York Times as the co-author of a study looking at how Tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, may be effecting the health of Monarch butterflies and … Read More
NYTimes, Commercial Butterfly Breeders Raise Awareness of OE to Help Monarchs
When it comes to Monarch butterflies, OE is not OK. The nasty spore can debilitate the migrating creatures.… Read More
Endangered Species Act Petition: Wrong Tool for Monarch Butterfly Conservation?
Endangered Species Act-wrong tool for the job of conserving the Monarch butterfly migration?… Read More
Migrating Monarch Butterflies Stymied by Wind, Storms in Texas Hill Country
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Monarch butterflies clustered along the Llano River this weekend, clinging to pecan tree branches as strong winds from the south kept them in place, temporarily halting their journey south toward Mexico and making easy work for … Read More
Monarch Migration Update: Lone “Cat” on Llano, Butterfly Cloud Spotted on Radar
Lonely caterpillar on the LLano, Butterfly cloud in St. Louis–the Monarch butterfly migration kicks into full swing.… Read More
Migration Update: It Takes a Village to Feed Hungry Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars
It takes a village: friends and family collaborate to hustle milkweed for dozens of hungry Monarch caterpillars.… Read More
Migration Update: Monarch Butterfly EGGstravaganza on the Llano River
We’re hearing positive reports from further north about the Monarch butterfly migration. Masses of Monarchs look to be in the Midwest right now, according to dispatches from the DPLEX list, the Monarch butterfly listserv that reaches hundreds of butterfly enthusiasts, … Read More
How to Track the Monarch Butterfly Migration from your Desk
Can’t get outside to observe the Monarch butterfly migration in person? No worries. Use these online tools to track the migration from your desk.… Read More
Here They Come! Monarch Butterflies Headed our Way in Promising Rebound Season
The Monarch butterfly migration began in mid August. The progeny of butterflies that left the forests of Mexico in March have reproduced several times on their multi-generational journey north to Canada, and are now turning their attention south, as they … Read More
Llano River Ready for "Premigration Migration" of Monarch Butterflies
Email lists have been filled with optimistic reports on the Monarch migration in recent weeks. We’re feeling hopeful of a rebound. Folks from Canada to Pennsylvania sang a buoyant chorus: more butterflies than last year. Of course, it’s all relative: … Read More
Pollinator Power on the River Walk: Garden Plot Transforms to Creature Haven
Pollinator power: CPS Energy transforms garden plot to pollinator habitat on the San Antonio River Walk.… Read More
2014 Monarch Butterfly Migration: Worst in History or a Hopeful Rebound?
Monarch butterfly migration in 2014: Another worst year in history or hopeful rebound:… Read More
Four Fine Texas Moths for National Moth Week
Happy Moth Week! Here’s four fine moths that will turn your head in Texas.… Read More
How to Raise Eastern Swallowtail Butterflies at Home
Eastern Swallowtails butterflies are common this time of year. Here’s how to raise them at home. … Read More
Summer Solstice, Pollinator Week, and Some Hopeful Monarch Butterfly News
Pollinator week, Summer Solstice and some hopeful news for Monarch butterflies this week.… Read More
Plant Flowers, Sign the Petition and Celebrate National Pollinator Week June 16 – 22
Celebrate National Pollinator Week by signing the petition, planting flowers and deadheading. … Read More
Thanks, Climate Change! 9.5-inch Llano River Rain Dump Exemplifies Extreme Weather
Not the Memorial Day weekend we were planning: massive rain dumps 9.5 inches on Llano River. Thanks, climate change!… Read More
Genista Moth Caterpillars Return to Llano River Mountain Laurels
Genista moth caterpillars are back at it on the Llano River: noshing on our Mountain Laurels… Read More
Resilience Required: Climate Change Turns up the Heat in the Butterfly Garden
Climate change will call for resilience and adaptability from gardeners, plants and insects.… Read More
Mexican Team Begins Year-long Project to Document Monarch Butterfly Migration
Mexican team begins year-long project to document Monarch butterfly migration through video… Read More
Milkweed Shortage Sparks "Alternative Fuels" for Hungry Monarch Caterpillars
Monarch butterfly caterpillars aren’t as picky as we thought–turns out they’ll eat squash and cucumbers!… Read More
First Lady Michelle Obama Gets Milkweed as White House Adds First Pollinator Garden
First Lady Michelle Obama Gets Milkweed at the White House Garden. Sweeet! http://wp.me/p2fP0i-28Z… Read More
Historic Rendezvous of Those Who Located Monarch Butterfly Roosting Sites Draws Crowd of 200
Almost 200 Gather for Historic Rendezvous of Monarch Butterfly Roosting Site Founders… Read More
Right on time: First of Season Monarchs Arrive in San Antonio
Here they come! Monarch butterflies are heading our way on their multigenerational journey north, desperately seeking milkweed so they can lay their eggs… Read More
Austin Butterfly Forum to Feature Historic Gathering Of Monarch Butterfly Flutterati
Austin Butterlfy Forum to host historic gathering of four Monarch butterfly pioneers who discovered and share the news of the ancestral roosting sites in Mexico.… Read More
Plant Milkweed, Sign our Petition, Help Save the Monarch Butterfly Migration
Plant milkweed, sign our petition to get it planted at the White House and help save the Monarch Migration.… Read More
Little Herds Bug Banquet brings Eating Insects to Austin, Texas
More than 150 gastronauts explored the taste of entomophagy in Austin last week–the consumption of insects as food.… Read More
NAFTA Presidents, Monsanto Say They Want to Help Save the Monarch Butterfly Migration
NAFTA presidents, Monsanto: let’s save the Monarch butterfly migration. Yes, please!… Read More
Will Obama talk Monarch Butterflies with Presidents of Canada and Mexico this week?
The three presidents of North America are meeting 75 miles from the Monarch butterfly roosting sites this week. Will the discuss ways to save the migration?… Read More
Wake-up Call: As Monarch Butterfly Numbers Plummet, will their Migration become Extinct?
Pollinator devastation: rapid, severe Monarch butterfly migration decline a wake-up call … Read More
Austin Bug Eating Soiree February 19: Munch on Insects to Sustain the Planet
YUM! Bug eating soiree in Austin aims to raise entomophagy awareness. Crickets are good for you!… Read More
Caterpillar Canapes, anyone? Eating Bugs Could be Answer for Hungry Planet
INsects are perfectly edible and consumed in all parts of the globe. Why do we find the practice of entomophagy so disgusting?… Read More
2013's Top Posts: Moths, Monarch Decline, How to Raise Butterflies, Move a Chrysalis
Top posts of 2013 include the decline of the Monarch butterfly migraiton, how to raise Monarchs and move chrysalises, and a few stories about moths… Read More
Celebrate the Winter Solstice with Seedballs this Saturday
Celebrate the winter solstice and help next year’s wildflowers by making seedballs this Saturday.… Read More
Baby, it’s Cold Outside: What to do with Late Season Butterflies?
Crazy weather makes for a nectar emergency when late season butterflies hatch and it’s too cold to release them. What to do?… Read More
Only Three Million Monarch Butterflies Make it to Mexico for Day of the Dead this Year
Only three million Monarch butterflies made it to Mexico this year–dow from 450 million in our best years and 60 million last year. Some describe it as the “collapse” of the Monarch butterfly migration.… Read More
Dr. Chip Taylor to Butterfly Breeders: Monarch Roosts May Occupy Only 1.25 Acres This Year
Dr. Chip Taylor told commercial butterfly breeders that the Monarch butterfly roosting sites this year will only occupy 1.25 acres in Mexico–down from an average of 22 acres. … Read More
Dr. Chip Taylor to Address Commercial Butterfly Breeders in San Antonio Nov. 7-10
Want to learn how to raise butterflies? Join us at the IBBA/AFB butterfly breeders conference. Dr. Chip Taylor of Monarch Watch will speak.… Read More
Lots of Butterflies, but No Monarchs on the Llano River this Weekend
No Monarchs on the Llano River this weekend. A disappointing end to a dreary season.… Read More
San Antonio Butterfly Fans, Join us Monday for How to Tag a Monarch Butterfly
San Antonio butterfly buffs: joins us at the Rivard Report’s Something Monday event, How to Tag a Monarch butterfly… Read More
Migration Update: Llano River Thunderstorms Stall Early Pulse of Monarch Butterflies
Migration update: Thunderstorms on Llano River stall Early Pulse of Monarch Butterflies… Read More
Caterpillar – palooza on the Llano River: No Monarch butterflies, but caterpillars galore
Not many Monarch butterflies flying on the Llano River this weekend, but it was a caterpillar-palooza in the milkweed.… Read More
Don't Miss a (Butterfly) Beat: How to Track the Monarch Butterfly Migration from your Desk
Don’t miss a (butterfly) beat! Here’s how to track the Monarch butterfly migration from your desk. … Read More
Fall Equinox Kicks Off Meager Monarch Butterfly Migration
Fall Equinox today kicks off what looks to be a meager Monarch butterfly migration. But they might surprise us. … Read More
Caterpillar Cannibalism UPDATE: Monarch butterfly caterpillar eats another for lunch
Caterpillar cannibalism update: Monarch caterpillars eat sister chrysalises, eggs and caterpillars for lunch in photos by Shady Oak Butterfly Farm.… Read More
Caterpillar Cannibalism: Monarch butterfly caterpillar eats Monarch egg for lunch
In a case of caterpillar cannibalism, a Monarch butterfly caterpillar eats a Monarch egg for lunch. Plus: Llano River update.… Read More
Welcome to the World, Lil Joe! Monarch Eggs Retrieved on the Llano River this Weekend
Sometimes a blackhead is a good thing–when it signals the imminent hatching of a Monarch butterfly caterpillar, for example.… Read More
Yo soy Mariposista! Butterfly Advocates Unite as Lepsters, MOTH-ers and Butterflyers
Are you a lepster? A butterflyer? Yo soy mariposista, and we all advocate for butterflies. … Read More
First of Season Monarchs Spotted on Llano River–Another "Worst Year" for Migration?
First of Season Monarchs spotted this weekend on the Llano River in a year that may be the worst in history for their migration. Thanks, drought. … Read More
Massive Mariposario Yeé Lo Beé Aims to Put Huatulco on the Map as A Butterfly Destination
Massive mariposario / butterfly house aims to make Huatulco, Mexico a Butterfly Destination… Read More
Blue Morphos and a Butterfly Bonanza in Huatulco, Mexico
Blue morphos, Black Witch moths and so much more–a butterfly trip to Huatulco Mexico results in a butterfly bonanza… Read More
Large, Bat-like, Harmless: Black Witch Moths Making Appearances in South Texas
Hannibal Lechter would be thrilled: the large, batlike and harmless Black Witch moth is back in South Texas.… Read More
Caterpillar Quiz: How to Tell the Difference between Monarchs and Eastern Swallowtails
Caterpillar quiz: can you tell the difference between a Monarch butterfly and Eastern Swallowtail butterfly caterpillar? Here’s how.… Read More
Butterfly Farmer Edith Smith Keeps it All in the Family at Shady Oak Butterfly Farm
Florida Butterfly Farmer Edith Smith generously shares her wisdom and keeps the business in the family at Shady Oak Butterfly Farm… Read More
Monarch Butterfly Google Earth Tour Marries Epic Journey With Epic Technology
Epic technology PLUS epic migration journey EQUALS Monarch Butterfly Google Earth Tour.… Read More
"Squish remorse" — Genista Larvae on Mountain Laurels Create Caterpillar Quandary
Ever had “squish remorse”? For this butterfly evangelist, squishing hundreds of genista moth larvae on Mountain Laurels created a caterpillar quandary.… Read More
Mostly Native Urban Butterfly Garden Outperforms Lawn Anytime in San Antonio
Last year about this time, we detailed a turf-to-bed conversion in the front yard of our rent house in the downtown Lavaca neighborhood of San Antonio. We thought it would be helpful to share what happened over the past year … Read More
Got Milkweed? Updated Plant Guide for Central and South Texas
Our first Milkweed Guide posted back in the fall of 2010 and has continued to be one of our most-read blogposts. With spring here and butterfly gardeners chomping at the bit to create host and nectar habitat for Monarchs … Read More
Part Two: More Tips for Raising Monarch Caterpillars and Butterflies at Home
Last week’s post on raising Monarch butterflies at home sparked a a slew of questions, comments and emails. I figured I’d better get back here and clarify a few things. First, I left out the part about what to … Read More
Part One: How to Raise Monarch Butterflies at Home
Butterfly FAQ: How to Raise Monarch butterflies at home. Grab those eggs, cultivate that milkweed and get ready to foster some caterpillars. Here’s how to do it.… Read More
Monarch Tagged With Dr. Lincoln Brower in 2011 Texas Drought Recovered at El Rosario
Are these insects resilient or what? A Monarch tagged with Dr. Lincoln Brower in the drought of 2011 in the Texas Hill Country was recently recovered in Michoacan and reported to Monarch Watch.… Read More
Faded FOS Monarch Butterfly Lays Eggs in San Antonio Despite Dreary Population Reports
My first day of earnest butterfly gardening of 2013 met with a sweet surprise: my FOS (First of Season) Monarch butterfly, Sunday, March 17. And, it was a faded female, fluttering in my mulched front yard garden, lighting from one … Read More
Persnickety Texas Milkweeds "May not Lend Themselves to Mass Seed Production"
Native American Seed Company is on a mission to restore the earth, one native seed at a time. The 300-acre spread about 115 miles west of San Antonio on the banks of the Llano River just northeast of Junction, Texas, boasts 75 … Read More
How to Get Texas Native Milkweed Seeds to Germinate
Our friends at Native American Seed have been working for years on the best way to get persnickety Texas native milkweed seeds to germinate. “Native milkweeds simply don’t do well in containers,” said George Cates, seed wrangler at the … Read More
Tropical Milkweed: To Plant it or Not, it’s Not a Simple Question
Planning your butterfly garden? To plant Tropical milkweed to attract Monarch butterflies or not, is not a simple quesiton.… Read More
A Lesson in Symbiosis: "Friendly" Ants Protect Caterpillar from "Mean" Ants
In a remarkable display of symbiosis, the video below shows how nature’s systems work together. A certain brand of “friendly ant” slurps sugar syrup excreted from the body of a Lycaenid caterpillar. When predatory ants (Fireants? Hard to say.) … Read More
Tales of a Butterfly Evangelist: TEDx San Antonio Talk on Monarch Butterfly Migration Finally Published
Tales of a Butterfly Evangelist: Check out my TEDx San Antonio Talk on the magnificent Monarch butterfly migration. … Read More
Oh, those Crazy Chrysalises: Bringing Caterpillars Inside Can Result in Chrysalises in Surprising Places
Crazy chrysalises: if you bring in a caterpillar or chrysalis from the cold, be prepared to find the chrysalis in unlikely places. Monarch caterpillar … Read More
As the Earth Heats Up, What Does it Mean for Monarch and other Migrating Butterflies?
Congratulations, 2012! How does it feel to be the hottest year on record? And what does it mean for Monarchs and other migrating butterflies?… Read More
Apocalypse Not Now: How to Make Seedballs and Celebrate the 2012 Winter Solstice
Will the world end Friday? Nah. We’re celebrating the 2012 solstice by making seedballs to help make next year a banner wildflower year. Read on for our Seedball Recipe that includes a secret ingredient that deters birds and bugs.… Read More
First Frost Often Means the End for Late Season Caterpillars, and a Next Chapter for the Intriguing Frostweed Wildflower
First frost often means the end of the season for butterflies, and a new beginning for butterfly magnet plant, Frostweed, which forms intriguing ice sculputres. And: should you bring a late season caterpillar inside? Hmmm.… Read More
Queen, Monarch Caterpillars and Butterflies: How to Tell the Difference
Queen and Monarch butterflies look similar and use milkweed as a host plant. Here’s some tips on how to tell the difference in the caterpillars, butterflies, even the chrysalises, as the continue to show up in South Texas this fall.… Read More
"Flight of the Butterflies" in 3D a Special Holiday Treat for Kids, Seniors and all of us in Between
The new 3D IMAX movie, Flight of the Butterflies, suits seniors, kids and all of us inbetween with its spectacular cinematography, compelling narrative and brief 44-minute duration. It makes the perfect holiday treat.… Read More
Monarch Butterflies: the Panda Bears of Climate Change?
Will Monarch butterflies become the “poster species” of climate change? They’re getting alot of press lately with their own 3-D IMAX film, a novel by Barbara Kingsolver, and companies like Southwest Airlines pouncing on PR opportunities that showcase the plight of the Monarch butterfly migration.… Read More
From New York to San Antonio: 'Late Bloomer' Monarch Butterfly Gets Free Ride via Southwest Airlines
It takes a village: Butterfly Lady Maraleen Manos-Jones arranges for late bloomer Monarch butterfly to get free ride from New York State to San Antonio via Southwest Airlines to facilitate arrival at roosting grounds in Mexico. … Read More
Winds from the South Stall Migrating Monarch Butterflies on the Llano River in the Texas Hill Country
Monarch butterflies on the Llano River were stymied in their migration as south winds kept them in place, holding tight onto pecan tree branches.… Read More
Chasing Monarchs on the Llano River with Dr. Chip Taylor, Champion of Monarch Butterflies
Chasing Monarchs on the Llano River with Dr. Chip Taylor, founder of Monarch Watch, offers the champion for Monarch butterflies and the ecosystems that sustain them a lesson in the ways of the Texas Hill Country.… Read More
IMAX Film on Monarch Butterfly Migration may be as Good as it Gets for Seeing Migrating Monarchs This Year
The 3D movie “Flight of the Butterflies,” just released, may provide the best chance to see the Monarch butterfly migration in Texas this year, as butterfly followers brace for what may be the worst year number wise since records on the Monarch migration have been kept.… Read More
Could 2012 be the Worst Year in Monarch Butterfly Migration History?
A challenging year for the Monarch Butterfly migration gets even worse on the Llano River as dropped water tables and lack of or ill-timed rains kill the usual nectar sources that fuel the insects on the annual migration. Could this be the worst year in Monarch butterfly migration history?… Read More
Butterfly FAQ: How to Tag A Monarch Butterfly in Six Easy Steps
Ever wonder how to tag a Monarch butterfly? Here’s how to do it in six easy steps.… Read More
Here’s How to Track the Monarch Butterfly Migration from Your Desk
Monarch butterflies are on their way, and just leaving Canada. Check out these online tools and resources for tracking the migration from the comfort of your desk.… Read More
Illegal Logging "Stopped," but Climate Change, Aerial Insecticides Spell Challenges for Monarch Butterflies
Monarch butterflies get a break in Mexico as illegal logging seems to be under control. But in the U.S., they face drought, climate change, wildfires and now, aerial insect ides being sprayed in Dallas to combat West Nile virus carried by mosquitos. … Read More
Let the Royal Butterfly Parade Begin: First Come the Queens, with Monarchs to Follow
Queen butterflies are back in town. That means Monarch butterflies will be passing through soon. Can you tell the difference between these closely related species? Here’s some tips to help you distinguish between the two.… Read More
Black Witch Moth: Large, Common, Bat-like, and Harmless
Want to win the lottery? Perhaps you should entice a Black Witch Moth to roost above your doorstep. Folk wisdom on these bat-like Moths ranges from considering them a harbinger of death to an omen of good luck and future riches.… Read More
Happy Moth Week! Night Flying Butterflies Finally Get Some Respect
It’s National Moth Week! The night flying critters are finally getting some respect. Moth Party, anyone?… Read More
In the Butterfly Garden: Time to Harvest Sunflower Seeds, Here’s How to Do it
Sunflowers, great for the butterfly garden, are prolific with flowers and later seeds. Yours are probably hanging their heads by now. Here’s how to harvest the sunflower seeds for your bird feeder, a protein-rich snack, or to plant next year.… Read More
Founder of the Monarch Butterfly Roosting Sites in Mexico Lives a Quiet Life in Austin, Texas
One of the founders of the Monarch butterfly roosting spots in Michoacan, Mexico lives a quite life in Austin, Texas. The story of Catalina Trail, a soft-spoken woman that Monarch butterfly history has overlooked.… Read More
Alamo, Texas, a Great Base for South Texas Sojourn of Bugs, Butterflies and Birds
For a fun nature getaway, check out Alamo, Texas. The small town sits in the center of the Rio Grande Valley and makes a perfect base for exploring the bird and butterfly hotspots of South Texas.… Read More
Loathed by Gardeners, Tomato Hornworms Morph into Magnificent Sphinx Moths
Happy Pollinators week! Don’t squish that tomato hornworm–she turns into the magnificent Sphinx Moth, which pollinates various flowers, including the Agave plant.… Read More
For Monarchs and other Butterflies in your Garden, Gather Milkweed Seeds Now
Gather milkweed seeds now! It’s a good time to gather milkweed seeds for future butterfly gardens. If you transplant milkweed seedlings in this summer heat, be sure to give them some shade and lots of water–Tropical milkweed can’t take the brutal Texas heat. … Read More
American Snout Butterflies Inundate South Texas–enroute to San Antonio, Austin?
Snout butterflies have invaded South Texas en masse and may show up in Austin and San Antonio soon. Don’t wash your car til its over. And remember to “brake for the butterflies.”… Read More
Tales of a Butterfly Evangelist Shared at Pecha Kucha Night San Antonio
Relay the story of the magnificent Monarch butterfly migration in six minutes and 40 seconds? Impossible? Nah. We did it at Pecha Kucha Night San Antonio, using the migration itself as a springboard for inspiration. Watch the video.… Read More
"Common" Painted Lady Butterflies Providing Not-so-Common Insights on the Development of Tiny Flying Robots
The “common” Painted Lady butterfly is providing some not-so-commn insight in a study that aims to refine the flight machinations of micro aerial devices–MAVS. The tiny robotic flight machines will be used in reconnaissance, search and destroy and military missions.… Read More
Banner Butterfly Year Caused by "Ecological Release" in Texas, says Monarch Watch Founder Dr. Chip Taylor
The Lone Star state and a perfect storm of weather circumstances get credit for the 2012 banner butterfly year, says Dr. Chip Taylor of Monarch Watch.… Read More
Want to Meet the Beetles? Better Hurry, Removal of Milkweed Beetles from San Antonio River's Milkweed Patch Imminent
Beetlemania busts out at the San Antonio River Museum Reach Milkweed Patch. Harmless to humans, red-and-black milkweed beetles have overtaken the celebrated Milkweed Patch normally occupied by Monarch caterpillars and butterflies.… Read More
Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival in Fredericksburg to Celebrate Butterflies, Bats and Birds this Weekend
Fiesta fatigue? Do like me and head for the hills–the Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival, that is. It takes place in Fredericksburg this weekend. I’ll be talking Monarch butterflies, but there will be bats, birds, dragonflies, a raptor show and star party. Hope to see you there.… Read More
Austin’s Insecta Fiesta to Host World’s Largest Katydid and Butterfly Flyhouse with 500 Butterflies
Largest Katydid on the planet (and the loudest) will appear at the first annual Insecta Fiesta this Saturday at the Brackenridge Field Labs. Also: live butterfly house, insect petting zoo, cockroach tractor pull and cricket spitting contest. It’s FREE, hope to see you there.… Read More
Desperately Seeking Milkweed: Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars’ Voracious Appetites Create Milkweed Emergency
Voracious Monarch butterfly caterpillars create milkweed emergencies throughout Texas. You can seek out pesticide free milkweed from local nurseries or better yet, GYO (grow your own).… Read More
How do Caterpillars Move? They Go with Their Gut–A Unique Form of Locomotion and a Crazy, Amusing Crawl
How do caterpillars move? They go with their gut. Literally. Amusing VIDEO of Tobacco Hornworm caterpillar doing his gut-slide dance.… Read More
Bats, Blooms, Butterflies and Moths–Everyone is Early this year
Everyone’s early this year. Wildflowers, birds, bats, butterflies and moth are all making an early appearance. Is it the wet winter or milder temperatures causing the advanced timing?… Read More
Save the Date: Insecta Fiesta Austin to Feature Live Butterfly House, Cricket Spitting Contest, Cockroach Races
Live butterfly house with Monarchs and Malachites, cricket spitting contest, cockroach races–save April 21 for the Insecta Fiesta in Austin!… Read More
Number of Monarch Butterflies Down as They Leave Michoacan and Head through Texas
Monarch butterfly good news and bad news. Bad news first: numbers are down 28 percent this year. Good news: they’re making their way through Texas, sipping nectar and laying eggs. And a bounty of wildflowers awaits them to get the migration off to a good start.… Read More
"Friendly" Red Admirals Slurp Sap in San Antonio, Bode Well for 2012 Butterfly Numbers
Red Admirals are in town. And we’re not talking military personnel. The beautiful black and red butterflies are slurping sap on area trees with the help from migrating Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (yes, it’s a real bird, and that’s its real name). Large numbers of Red Admirals signal a BIG year for butterflies.… Read More
Mexican President Felipe Calderon Visits Monarch Butterfly Preserves in Michoacan
President Felipe Calderon of Mexico visited the Monarch butterfly preserves in Michoacan last week to film an IMAX film and call attention to the importance of the butterflies’ unique ancestral roosting spots to the sustainable economic development of the impoverished communities surrounding … Read More
Scientific Research in Progress at the San Antonio River Museum Reach Milkweed Patch
Scientific research underway by the Monarch Larvae Monitoring Project at the San Antonio River Milkweed Patch. SLIDESHOW… Read More
San Antonio Museum Reach Milkweed Patch Becomes Official Monarch Larvae Monitoring Project Site
San Antonio’s Milkweed Patch Becomes Latest Monarch Larvae Monitoring Project Site and First to be monitored in 2012, as Monarch Butterflies take up permanent residence in San Antonio.… Read More
Wildflower Bonanza-to-be on the San Antonio Mission Reach, Thanks to Above-average Rains
Wildflowers budding on the San Antonio Mission Reach. Check out the slideshow and a link to better understand the complex collaboration that brought the Mission Reach to life.… Read More
Happy Darwin Day! Would Charles Darwin be Pleased or Horrified at Butterflies as Quick Change Artists?
What would Charles Darwin think on his 203rd birthday of butterflies capacity for rapid, evolutionary change? Hmmm.… Read More
Occupy Michoacan: Monarch Butterflies Move West Because of Deforestation and Climate Change
Occupy MIchoacan! Monarch butterflies move a bit further west in their roost because of climate change and deforestation. … Read More
It's official: Warmer Winters Cause USDA to Revise Plant Hardiness Zones, San Antonio's Moves Closer to the Coast
It’s official: Warmer winters Cause USDA to revise plant heartiness zones, something butterflies and blooms have been communicating for years. Yep, it’s getting warmer.… Read More
Timely Rains, Pent-up Seed Bank, and Little Competition Raise Hopes for a Banner 2012 Wildflower Season
The historic Texas drought continues but recent rains raise hopes and streams for a banner 2012 wildflower season. And that means more butterflies.… Read More
"Plant Lady" Lee Marlowe, Guardian of San Antonio River Riparian Restoration, Names Top 10 Troublesome Plants
A talk with “the Plant Lady,” Lee Marlowe, of the San Antonio River Authority and Guaurdian of its restoration. Lee shares her Top 10 Most Troublesome plants.… Read More
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Butterfly FAQ: Pros and Cons of Tropical Milkweed and What to do with a Winter Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar or Chrysalis
Butterfly FAQs today: What to do with late season Monarch caterpillars you find this winter? And, some thoughts on the pros and cons of Tropical milkweed, that hearty, ubiquitous Monarch butterfly host plant.… Read More
UPDATE: Winter Monarch Butterflies are Reproducing at the Museum Reach Milkweed Patch on the San Antonio River Walk
Winter Monarch butterflies are hooking up on the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River Walk. University of Minnesota graduate student Kelly Nail visits to monitor their progress at our favorite public milkweed patch.… Read More
Butterfly Predictions 2012: Historic Low Monarch counts, Wildflower Bounty, Butterflies Year-Round, a Blow For GMOs
Four butterfly predictions for 2012: Historic low Monarch counts at the roosting spots, bounty of wildflowers in Texas, year-round butterflies and outsmarted GMOs (genetically modified organisms)… Read More
Happy Winter Solstice! Celebrate with Seedballs, a Recipe, and Step-by-Step Directions on How to Make them
Celebrate the Winter Solstice by making seed balls! It’s easy, fun, and good for the planet. Plus, it reminds us of making mudd pies. Included in this post: the Texas Butterfly Ranch Seedball Recipe and step-by-step directions on how to make them.… Read More
Mission Reach Improvements on San Antonio River Spell Good News for Naturalists, Will Result in More Butterflies
Beyond the Alamo and the San Antonio River Walk: The Mission Reach restoration of the San Antonio River on the City’s south side bode well for nature lovers and butterflies. Hike, bike and paddling trails, bird and butterfly watching, four missions and centuries of history all invite visitors. C’mon down.… Read More
San Antonio River Walk Boasts Vibrant "Butterfly City" Along Museum Reach as Butterfly Wildscape Matures
The Museum Reach of San Antonio’s famous River Walk sports a vibrant “butterfly city” and well-researched inspiration for those planning a butterfly garden at home or a butterfly wildscape. The improvements bode well for more butterflies flying in San Antonio and South Texas.… Read More
A Year in the Life of A Butterfly Garden: From Turf to a Butterfly Host and Nectar Garden, with Edible Landscape In Between
Let’s get busy, people. Your butterfly garden is waiting. Make it happen. Get inspired by this month-by-month slideshow of a year in the life of a butterfly garden.… Read More
Monarch Butterflies Arrive in Michoacan, Mexico, Just in Time for Thanksgiving
Give me a “gracias” and a happy Thanksgiving! Monarch butterflies arrive in Michoacan, continuing their migration which has endured for millennia. … Read More
In the Butterfly Garden, Part II: Transplants and Seedlings to Make a Vibrant Butterfly Garden in Downtown San Antonio
The turf-to-bed conversion continues as we begin to transform a drought-damaged downtown San Antonio yard into a butterfly garden. Favorite host plants will be transplanted from Austin, we’ll buy several new plants in the spring and plan our seedling strategy for early January. Read all about it, and let us know if you have questions.… Read More
In the Butterfly Garden: Use Solarization to Convert a Drought Damaged Lawn into a Vibrant Butterfly Garden
Front yard struck by the drought? Grass looking a little dead? Perhaps you should consider solarization, an easy, chemical-free method of converting your dead, water guzzling grass to a glorious butterfly garden. Check out our step-by-step approach for a turf-to-bed-conversion.… Read More
State of the Monarch Butterfly Migration in Two Minutes: Thank you, Mike Quinn of Texas MonarchWatch
Austin entomologist Mike Quinn of Texas MonarchWatch succinctly summarizes the impact of the Texas drought on the Monarch butterfly migration for KXAN TV news in Austin.… Read More
Texas Drought Impact on Wildflower Seed Production Cuts Both Ways, PLUS Five Tips for Collecting Wildflower Seeds
The Texas drought’s impact on wildflower seed production cuts both ways–some wildflowers produce more seed, others don’t. PLUS: Five tips for collecting wildflower seed for next year’s butterfly garden.… Read More
Accidental Massacre of Monarch Butterflies near Monterrey, Mexico Magnifies Challenges to their Migration
Inadvertent Monarch butterfly massacre near Monterrey, Mexico begs vexing questions about preserving their migration.… Read More
Hola Mariposa Monarca! Migration update: Monarch Butterflies Spotted in Saltillo and Monterrey, Mexico
Monarch butterflies are arriving in Northern Mexico and should arrive soon at their ancestral roosts in the mountains of Michoacan. A cold front in Texas should give them a boost as they ride the wind wave. Winds are forecast for 30 miles per hour.… Read More
On the Llano River: Assessing Texas Drought and Chasing Monarch Butterflies with the Legendary Dr. Lincoln Brower
Famed Monarch butterfly scientist Dr. Lincoln Brower treks to Texas to gather butterflies for a study looking at the impact of the Texas drought on the Monarch butterfly migration. We were there on the Llano River, ready with our nets to help collect specimens.… Read More
Monarch Butterfly Migration Tracking Toward West Texas with Nectar Stops Along Llano River and Texas Hill Country
Monarch butterfly migration update: they’re here! Massing in West Texas and nectaring along the Llano River in the Texas Hill Country. Who would imagine they would gravitate to the most parched part of the State? Peak migration is upon us, so keep your eyes open for them.… Read More
Use Twitter Search to Track the Monarch Butterfly Migration in Real Time and Get Live Updates from the Field
Is there an app for that? Track the Monarch butterfly migration in real time by using Twitter search. Here’s how to do it.… Read More
Texas "hell" for Monarch Butterflies Migrating to Mexico, Says Monarch Watch Founder, Plus: How You Can Help
Monarch Watch founder Dr. Chip Taylor calls Texas “hell” for migrating Monarch butterflies on their way to Mexico. Historic drought has dried up rivers, streams and made nectar sources, the butterflies’ fuel, scarce. Taylor provides a population status report and some tips for how Texas butterfly fans can help.… Read More
Llano River Rains Make for Nectar Recovery and a Welcoming Stop for Migrating Monarch Butterflies
The drought continues, but recent rains in the Texas Hill Country resuscitate Llano River blooms, resulting in welcoming nectar stops for migrating Monarch butterflies. The timing might be just right for a robust Monarch butterfly migration.… Read More
Tracking the Monarch Butterfly Migration? Check out these Social Media and Online Resources for Staying Informed
Tracking the Monarch butterfly migration? Social media can help. Check out these online resources for staying on top of how the migration is progressing.… Read More
Butterfly Plant Walk, Monarch Talk and Caterpillar Crawl to Kick off San Antonio Botanical Garden's Amazing Butterflies Exhibit
A Monarch walk, a caterpillar crawl, storytime, butterfly plant tour and gardening tips–it’s all at the San Antonio Botanical Garden’s opening weekend celebration of Amazing Butterflies. Come join me and other butterfly ambassadors and find your way through the Nature maze to learn the whole life cycle.… Read More
First of Season Monarch Butterflies Vie for Limited Llano River Nectar as Drought Ravages their Traditional Roosts
First-of-season Monarch butterflies sighted on the Llano River in the Texas Hill Country. With little nectar, drought ravaged roosts, and wildfires across the landscape, Monarchs will find a less-than-welcoming rest stop when they hit Central and South Texas in October.…