Return of the Monarch butterflies

The Monarch butterflies are starting to return to the neighborhood on their annual migration from Mexico. I've only seen a few so far, less than a dozen. The Monarch butterflies born after mid-August will be the generation that starts the southward migration to Mexico. While most people associate Monarchs with milkweed, the Monarch butterfly needs nectar from flowers, such as this New York Ironweed, for energy and the Monarch caterpillars are born and live on milkweed plants.