Anne Toal recently visited the NABA Butterfly garden. I think we need to schedule a field trip....
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THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT AND PARTICIPATED IN OUR FALL PLANT SWAP/PLANT SALE!

Special thanks to Paul Johnson, Eddy Kuprel and Frank Wiseman for being there to answer questions.

Hope everyone got home with a new plant.

Thanks, also, to Sam, Dr. Sher and his wife Susan for helping make it happen.

Need some trees? Need some plants? It's time for the Fall Plant Swap/Plant Sale this Saturday, October 23 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at Turtle Park on E. Morningside

Bring plants to swap. Plants will also be available for purchase.

State Forester Paul Johnson and Brownsville Forester Eddy Kuprel will be there to answer questions.

Hey Nancy - here's an idea to try with your roses...

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More on Mulch

Don't buy Cypress mulch -- this explains why:

NYTimes article

Get ready for a new butterfly invasion

Web Posted: 10/08/2006 11:52 PM CDT Anton Caputo Express-News Staff

If you're getting a little tired of the swarms of relatively drab American snout butterflies that are popping up all over the area, take heart. Their more majestic and colorful cousins, the Monarchs, could start coming through in force within days.

This is the time of year when millions of Monarchs from all over North America funnel through Texas on their way to winter in Mexico. They've been reported in large numbers in Sweetwater, Arlington and Lavaca Bay, raising hopes that they might visit San Antonio soon.

Local enthusiasts have spotted the bright orange and black flittering insect in dribs and drabs for the past three weeks or so. They can't pinpoint exactly when the main migration will come or how many will come through, but they're hopeful this will be a good year.

According to Monarch Watch, an educational outreach program based at the University of Kansas, the Monarchs should hit San Antonio's latitude in force around Tuesday and continue for about two weeks.

From there, a lot will depend on the weather, said Joeann Wells, aka San Antonio's Butterfly Lady.

"My prediction is that we'll have a front coming in within a week or so ˜ my weather prediction is as good as anyone's ˜ and the stream of Monarchs will continue," she said.

(Her prediction is in accordance with the National Weather Service, which calls for a good chance of rain through Wednesday and then a high of just 72 degrees Thursday.)

"More than 80 percent of the migration has yet to enter Texas. When they move into our area, the San Antonio Botanical Garden is the place to be."

Another of the Butterfly Lady's favorite spots: the Antique Rose Emporium off Evans Road.

"There's one," manager Robbi Will said, pointing to a flowering bush thick with the fluttering insects.

Only one or two, though, were Monarchs, and they were hard to spot in the midst of vibrant Viceroys and Queens.

"It's a little early yet," Will said.

If you're really interested in seeing the Monarchs or their brethren, you can always entice them to your yard with the right plants, Will said. Gregg's mistflower and milkweed are good examples.

The latter is especially important because its nectar, while delicious to Monarchs, is poisonous to birds. This has the effect of also making the Monarchs poisonous and keeping the feathery menaces away.


acaputo@express-news.net
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