and what better way to commemorate than post this photo of a female monarch butterfly laying an egg on an aphid-strewn milkweed stem, in the hope of priming the butterfly pump. This photo was taken months ago at the mondo milkweed patch in a hidden corner of the Fullerton Arboretum. The area is highly utilized by monarchs, with all life stages in abundance on a mid-winter day. With our monarch hatchery at home still in its early (less successful) stages (just one egg-laying cycle so far), it was inspiring to see the reproductive success this asclepias-dependent species can have when a protected environment is reserved for them season after season. So we are looking forward to the next round of eggs, caterpillars, etc. in our parkway patch and the soon-to-be-established backyard milkweed plantation.
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