Despite many years of a declining monarch butterfly population here in southern Ontario, Canada, we have been lucky here on our rural land, partly because we maintain milkweed stands where they occur naturally on our roadsides and in hedgerows. Most years we still get a good showing of monarchs, at time with half a dozen or so seen fluttering around at once.
This year is different.
The milkweed is up, the fragrant flowers are fully open, but the monarchs are missing.
This morning I was driving through several of our rural roads with camera at the ready, and I found just one survivor. This one was quite intent to keep going, so I wasn't able to geet a good picture, but there is it is - July 13th, and this is the first and only monarch I have seen this year. 
This CBS online broadcast from April 11, 2010 does a good job of describing the challenges the butterfly is facing in its winter nesting areas in Mexico.
If you would like further information about this problem, please check out the following links.
Globe and Mail article by Matthew Hart, July 5th, 2008
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) News - 2009
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) News - 2008
Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON
Trenton Real Estate
Hi Bob, it's really a shame watching some of the more fragile species struggling to cope with all the changes in our environment. From what I understand at least Mexico is making a concerted effort to protect some of the larger breeding grounds where the Monarchs go every winter. Lets hope it's not too late.
Jul 16, 2010 08:27 AM
Private Label Realty ( Denver metro area, Colorado - Aurora, CO
The Dawn of a New Real Estate Experience!
Bob~ I have seen a few monarchs here in the Denver area, but I really don't know much about them other than they are beautiful.
Aug 06, 2010 06:50 AM
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