A lot of info here. And it's not just the Monarch, Queens use milkweed and their populations are affected also.
http://monarchwatch.org/bring-...

This article is awesome...and sad at the same time!
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11...

There was an article in our local paper, and I'm sorry, I don't have a link to it… But it said that we should completely cut back our milkweeds that were still blooming, to 'force' the migration of the Monarchs that were 'holding out' here in NE. Fl. I'm guessing that due to the change in weather patterns? Climate change? We are still seeing the milkweeds blooming. And this is causing a problem in the migration...

I'm interested to hear your opinion!

Don't cut down the milkweeds that have eggs and caterpillars, however! Personally, I think the Monarchs don't time their migration according to the availability of host plants. Some experts have mentioned day length and temperatures inducing migration.

Hi, I found the article…pasting this Q.&A.
And no, I've not cut mine…yet..

Q.I am still seeing monarch butterflies every once in a while in my butterfly garden. How long can we expect to see them?

A.It’s not unusual to see monarchs in the area right up until Christmas. However, those of us who try to coax monarchs to live in our yards are faced with a new challenge.

For several years, we have been seeing monarchs from late summer that failed to emerge from pupation. The chrysalid develops many dark spots, all of them spores of the protozoan O. elektroscirrha. It is one of many normal, natural predators of caterpillars. We also have to deal with tachinid wasps and other predatory insects.

Jaret Daniels, eminent butterfly researcher for the University of Florida, says that by harboring the butterflies late in the season, we are actually assisting in the spread of these and other caterpillar predators. As the season goes on, the predator populations grow and, if we “feed” them caterpillars, we are helping their populations to increase.

Daniels recommends cutting back milkweed plants to the ground at this time of the year to encourage the butterflies to complete their seasonal migration. From this area, monarchs go south to South Florida, or to the mountains of Mexico. If they go to Mexico, they will enter a semi-hibernation, slowing their body mechanisms down in the chilly mountain temperatures at a 10,000-foot elevation and hanging onto trees waiting for spring. If they go to South Florida, they will continue to breed, lay eggs and die as they do all summer long here.

While his recommendation was tough for me to swallow, it is better that the caterpillar die than emerge as a crippled butterfly. If cutting off the food source reduces the incidence of that happening, it’s the right thing to do.

I've heard that theory before. And in that other publication I read it in, it was clearly stated that it's a theory and not yet proven. Even if it is proven soon, I don't think it would apply to my area. The article I read said something about year-round Monarch populations in inappropriate areas being the problem. We only see Monarchs in spring and fall, never in the winter or summer. No fall Monarchs stay around in winter and no spring Monarchs stay around in the summer. Actually, this spring I personally only saw one Monarch, no caterpillars at all. I saw much more Monarchs in the fall, but only saw a few on my place and found a single caterpillar, which I raised and released. So no hordes of Monarchs crowded around infecting each other and no out-of-season Monarchs occur locally. All of my native milkweed drop their foliage in winter, going dormant anyway. Almost all of the Tropical Milkweed drop their leaves also, and some die after severe freezes. Maybe it's different where you live.

terrafirma said:There was an article in our local paper, and I'm sorry, I don't have a link to it… But it said that we should completely cut back our milkweeds that were still blooming, to 'force' the migration of the Monarchs that were 'holding out' here in NE. Fl. I'm guessing that due to the change in weather patterns? Climate change? We are still seeing the milkweeds blooming. And this is causing a problem in the migration...

I'm interested to hear your opinion!

Oh my what a crazy idea! Totally NOT going to work at all!!!! Whoever said that did not do any research or does not have the best interest of the monarchs (or milkweed) in mind! In my area the milkweed has stopped blooming LONG (sometimes months) before the Monarch migrate...ugh. Certainly my opinion the milkweed blooming has nothing whatsoever to do with the migration.

I'm not an expert but there is lots of research done on the Monarchs migration. It is my understanding that the migration is more based on weather and daylight triggers...not weather the milkweeds are still blooming! The adults feed on hundreds of other NECTAR sources on their migration...if there is milkweed they will continue to lay eggs on the way. This is an essential part of the migration and can build up the population.

Edit: I didn't read all the other posts. Apologies for jumping a bit to fast. (removed part of my rant now that I read the other posts)

If this Jaret Daniels has done extensive research that backs up this finding it would be news to me (its contradictory to the other research I've heard). But the Florida climate is also very different from the Ontario climate so maybe they have different life cycle to the milkweed plants there.
~insert pause here~

Ok I took a pause and looked this guy up. Looks like his recommendation applies ONLY to the non-native Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias currasivica)!! And only in the very southern extremes (the last legs of migration) (can I make that triple bolded?) From his article:

Because Tropical Milkweed Asclepias currasivica grows throughout the year (weather permitting), it can enable Monarchs to continue breeding well into the fall or winter, disrupting their normal migratory cycle. Prolonged breeding can also foster higher than normal infection rates by a lethal protozoan parasite, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, or OE for short. In fact, recent research indicates that such year-round resources could prolong exposure to parasites, elevate infection prevalence, and even favor more virulent parasite genotypes.

The simple answer to this potential problem is “go native.” An abundant and diverse supply of native milkweed species will contribute to a an abundant healthy population of Monarch butterflies. "

.

Full article can be seen here: http://www.floridanativenurser...

So I stand my my opinion; cutting down our native milkweeds is only detrimental.
I also would like to see more research done on this before it was put into practice.

I'm so glad that I did not, and will not heed the info in that article….This is what I found while weeding this morning! Dec. 6th! Currently 80* F.

Some really good info about a project to reforest some deforested areas of Mexico, which helps the Monarchs. I love their approach, because with that project, the people of Mexico are not the problem...they're the solution!
http://www.lchpp.org/

Native milkweed seeds for Monarchs available. Asclepias amplexicaulis (Sand Milkweed or Clasping Milkweed) Very, very difficult to come by this seed.

I posted about it in the Wildflowers forum but thought I would put a note in here about it with a link:
The thread "Asclepias amplexicaulis seed available" in Wildflowers forum

Found this little one today! Glad that he/she is making it before the 'really' cold weather sets in!

Don't you just love that gold on them? It always fascinates me.

Ann - thanks for bringing it over here.
I don't follow the wildflowers thread.....yet.
Very busy with my "grass eradication and hardscape" in my back yard.
But I AM interested in wildflowers and certainly monarchs.

You're welcome Critter!

Happy Solstice everyone!
The sun has begun its return to us.
With apologies to our friends from the Southern Hemisphere - In only 6 months will begin its return to you again.

Oh no! Come back.

Good news for Bush Stone-curlews. The parent birds (front) in my avatar have just hatched their second lot of two bubs this season. They haven't brought them down to me yet. The young are really scaredy-cats at this stage: hence telephoto.

Their older brother and sister (back ones in avatar) are still about and recognizable.

Gleni said:Oh no! Come back.

Every 6 months, Gleni, every 6 months!