This September, I have seen more Monarchs than I have for a very, very long time. The butterflies spend a lot of time on my tall Zinnia Swirls. It's been amazing to see 2 or 3 Monarchs on one zinnia plant. Once they got used to me being around, they allowed me to take quite a few photos.

I was curious about Monarchs and here's what I found out:

1. Monarchs weigh between 0.25 to 0.75 grams (for reference, a paper clip weighs 1 gram).
2. A black spot on an inside surface of the hind wing distinguishes male Monarch butterflies from the females who have no such spot.
3. Females lay their eggs on milkweed leaves.
4. Monarch butterflies store a poison called Cardiac Glycosides that they ingest by feeding on the leaves of the milkweed foliage in their larva stage. These toxins provide the butterflies with a poisonous defense against predators such as lizards, birds, and frogs.
5. Monarchs use their eyes to locate flowers, their antennas to smell the nectar, and minute receptors lodged in their feet to taste sweet substances.
6. Adult monarchs feed on nectar and water by sipping on it using a sucking tube called proboscis that lies coiled under the head when not in use.
7. The life cycle is constituted by 4 generations of Monarchs that complete 4 unique phases in one year. The fourth generation are the only ones that migrate.
8. Monarch wings flap slower than other butterflies at about 300 to 720 times a minute.
9. They fly at speeds ranging between 12 to 25 miles an hour. The butterflies use updrafts of warm air to preserve the energy required for the long migration to the warm Central Mexican Oyamel fir forests in the Michoacán hills.
   
10. In 1986 the Mexican authorities converted 62 square miles of forests in the Sierra Madres to the now renowned Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, home to hundreds of millions of Monarch butterflies during winter. The government further extended the reserve area to an area of 217 acres in the year 2000.

Facts from: http://www.monarch-butterfly.com    

And to note - Monarchs are being considered for placement on the endangered species list.

"Something Angelic" (2004) is one of the *wow* daylilies I purchased in August 2014 at the Wisconsin Daylily Society Sale in Madison. In 2015 it tripled in size and bloomed like crazy! I love the unique color combination, and yes, the colors are accurately represented in this photo. Something Angelic was hybridized by John Rice in Kentucky. I liked my three Rice daylilies (Lotus Position, Something Angelic and Unbridled Spirit)  so much that last month I added two more to my my collection, "Hymn to Her," and "Sweet Talking Man." The last two were hybridized by both John and his wife, Annette. All of my Rice daylilies are slam-dunks for beauty, performance, and hardiness.

It's uncanny how certain plants remind us of people who are or were important in our lives, and because of that they evoke great feeling. I can't ever see moss roses without thinking of Ange's mom, Mary. These annuals were her favorite and gave her such pleasure every summer. This year I have them planted by my back door. Every time I go in and out of the house I can see Mary smiling at me.

Ange and I were only in our 20's when Mary died, quite unexpectedly. It was a jolting reminder, at a very young age, that life has no guarantees. We need to enjoy and appreciate each day, not to mention those we love. And so it is. I plant moss roses and fondly remember Mary.

I vaguely recall seeing some dahlias in a garden last summer. They were pink and pretty. Beyond that I really knew nothing about them, other than I knew the tubers had to be dug up at the end of the season. Digging up plants at the end of the season didn't sound like fun to me, so my thoughts of dahlias ended right there.

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to the Badger State Dahlia Society show at Olbrich Gardens in Madison. This really opened up my eyes to the world of dahlias. The flowers on show were gorgeous--a kaleidoscope of color. I had never seen the vast variety of size, color and variegation before. Some flowers were tiny and dainty and others were huge and impressive. The morning dew that remained on the blooms looked like glitter. One of my favorites was a dahlia named "Bryn Terfel" named after the Welsh opera and concert singer (the large red bloom pictured). I liked the wavy petals that would most likely sway in the breeze.

Presently there are approximately 57,000 registered cultivars. Dahlias can be as small as 2" or as large as 12" (commonly referred to as 'dinner plate'). They are hardy to Zone 8. In Wisconsin they are grown as annuals and the tuberous roots must be stored indoors in a cool place all winter. Dahlias are the national flower of Mexico and are native to Mexico, Central, and northern South America. Familiar relatives to the dahlia include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia. They were named after Anders Dahl, a Swedish botanist who lived in the mid-to-late 1700's.

After seeing all of these beautiful dahlias, they may be worth the extra work of digging up the tubers and storing them over winter. I'll have to give them a try in the future.