Photo by Christine Young on iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
PollinatorActive now (September)
Monarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus
- When
- May–Oct — May, June, July, August, September, October. Earlier in the south, later in the north.
- Where to look
- Milkweed for the caterpillars; any nectar — especially late asters and goldenrod — for the migrating adults.
- How to know it
- Orange with heavy black veins and a white-spotted black border. The caterpillar is banded yellow, white and black.
- What it does for you
- Eastern monarchs fly to central Mexico each autumn, several generations removed from the ones that left. Milkweed is the only plant their caterpillars eat.
Found in these regions
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Also active in September
PollinatorMay–SepRuby-throated hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Tiny, iridescent green above; the male has a black-looking throat that flares ruby in the right light.
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BeneficialJul–OctPraying mantis
Mantidae
Long green or brown body, triangular head that swivels, and folded raptorial front legs.
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PollinatorMar–OctHoney bee
Apis mellifera
Golden-brown, banded, furry thorax, and pollen packed onto the hind legs in visible baskets.
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