milkweed

Someone recently asked me about where to find milkweed. I've been looking. These photos are from Rock Meadow in Belmont - along Mill Street. The milkweed there is beautiful and just starting to bud. The Monarchs will be happy! I've also found smaller stands of milkweed off of Trapelo Road in Waltham in the area of the old Met life buildings.

monarch butterfly on milkweed flowers

This is the first Monarch I have seen on the fields by the gardens this year. The milkweed is in full bloom and, with the warmer and dryer weather, lots of butterflies are out and about.

I was asked about the Monarchs' Spring migration and didn't know, so I looked it up. They arrived in the Boston area (from Mexico) in June, but I just hadn't spotted one until now. They will have several generations here before they migrate back down to Mexico in September.

wildflowers, weeds, invasives and natives
butterflies (Lepidoptera)