My first monarch butterflies in Western New York

[pjvanee]

I observed my first two monarch butterflies of the 2012 season in my gardens this morning. At least one of them is a female because she has been very busy laying eggs. One interesting note: I have found that the monarchs in my yard greatly prefer my swamp milkweed for egg laying, though the the cats will eat any variety I offer them (though sometimes relectantly). This morning I have found eggs on just about every different milkweed species in my yard (swamp, common, spider, tall green, eastern purple, poke, and Davis showy), whether they be in sun or shade, in the ground or in a pot. The only milkweed without eggs is my showy milkweed, which has just begun to emerge, and my tropical, which is still in my basement under grow-lights :)