The Monarchs arrive in my yard every fall. The last two years were the most populated years. Sometimes the Monarchs stay for 2 to 4 days, roosting in my trees. I would estimate that there were between 500 to 1000 monarchs roosting this year. I first noticed them on Saturday, September the 16th. The weather turned cooler late on the 18th and, the next day, the monarchs were gone.

I have had them in this same area of my yard every year for at least the last 6 years. It is an overwhelming sight that I always love to share.

Each year the monarchs roost in hemlock trees and this year they were also in nearby cypress, willow, flowering crab, and pin oak trees. The only flowers close by are zinnias. I always notice that when the roost is disturbed in anyway or by a new arrival of a monarch they flutter their wings for a short time and then settle back down with only closed wings.

(I took this picture on Monday, September 18th.)