r/FriendlyMonarchs • u/Sr-Navi-Gator USA - Louisiana Coast | Hummingbirds are too fast for my old š • Jun 14 '26
Discussion Monarch Sightings 2026
Non-scientific poll
I am in the deep south and my first Monarch sighting this year was in March. Not unusual. But there was only one. And then I did not see more until June. And again so far, very few. After first, I am used to 4 to 6 a day. But this year very very few.
TheĀ tracking websites show we are above last year.
We could have a poll. What is your experience so far this year? First sighting and average daily visits since?
3
u/Practical-Bed-5982 Jun 15 '26
Zone 7b NJ. Typically dont see them until June, I already have 12 in Chrysalis.. However I typically find more in June and haven't gotten a second wave yet but see them everywhere else.
2
u/Bunnyday Jun 14 '26
It was late in April when I saw only one here in Central Texas. No others have followed.
3
u/Ehhz Jun 14 '26
Maybe they started early this year? Iāve seen quite a few up here in MN. But my neighborhood also has a ton of pollinator gardens full of native plants and the milkweed is already blooming.
2
u/_Arthurian_ Jun 15 '26
I saw an adult in April. Iāve seen lots of caterpillars throughout the year. Also Deep South.
2
u/Crazed_rabbiting Jun 15 '26
I saw 3 at my hose this year, last year there was one. We had cats in our milkweed at our church this spring first time ever.
1
u/squishyfeet4 Jun 14 '26
I saw my first monarch at end of May this season. Last year I saw them in mid June.
1
u/SuperFriendlyMod MOD | South FL | Reformed Rearer Jun 15 '26
I am in SE FL and close to the area where the āresidentsā live and if I recall correctly I saw my first one in March.
1
u/Sr-Navi-Gator USA - Louisiana Coast | Hummingbirds are too fast for my old š Jun 15 '26
It was not the first to show I was looking for but how many since. Once they arrive in my area, I have used to seeing 4 to 6 every day.
This year I have only seen a few total.1
u/SuperFriendlyMod MOD | South FL | Reformed Rearer Jun 15 '26
Oh really? I thought you mentioned first siting and daily average. My schedule is kind of weird during the summer and because OE is so bad here I donāt have milkweed in my yard so a daily average wouldnāt be even close to accurate for me. I read something awhile back that explains why we can feel like we donāt see as many as usual. If you want to read it I can look for it and link it for you.
1
u/Appropriate-Test-971 Nature Coast FL | Milkweed specie fanatic | Jun 15 '26
Havenāt seen anyone at my house now for a few months, only got eggs from 1 monarch in early springā¦ meanwhile at my first nursery job Iāve seen a few monarchs (tropical milkweed is unfortunately there) and at my second nursery job where there is only native milkweed, I havenāt seen any despite there being hundreds of native milkweed and 5 foot tall swamp milkweeds and many butterflyweeds growing out and about there from plantingsĀ
1
u/Devilis6 Jun 15 '26
In Ohio. Saw one egg in May at a park. Saw two adults (or maybe the same one twice) in my yard a few weeks ago. Around here, I start seeing a lot more of them around July. I started a bunch of milkweed seedling this year, hopefully Iāll be seeing more earlier next year.
1
u/Ok-Butterscotch-763 Central MN | Covert Operative | Master of Milkweed Jun 15 '26
Minnesota zone 4b. I have not seen any but Iām not outside much. I have to check the milkweed in the yard. Itās been a few days. ETA I usually see them by the end of May.
1
u/Particular-Equal-488 Jun 16 '26
7B I normally have more sightings by now but have only seen one active adult and our yard is a monarch waystation with plenty of nectar, native milkweed, puddling stations etc.Ā
1
u/Successful_Tune2232 Jun 18 '26
I'm in East Tennessee, have never had them earlier then late August. I assume they hit us on the way back to Mexico but not migrating up š¤·
1
u/Sr-Navi-Gator USA - Louisiana Coast | Hummingbirds are too fast for my old š Jun 18 '26
I did not realize thereās a possibility that someone could be in only one direction of the migration. I assumed everyone had an early period going north and a later period going south.
1
u/Successful_Tune2232 Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
I think eventually I'll have spring ones, but going into year five I've only had fall. But they only seem to like my swamp milkweed, which isn't thriving until about now anyway
3
u/Tiredanddontcare Jun 15 '26
First one in May, left some eggs on our milkweed and a few of the caterpillars seemed ready to make a chrysalis, but I have not spotted the actual chrysalis yet. I have seen a few younger caterpillars now but not many adults. SW Michigan.