A Year Ago…

I used to tell “time” by butterfly sightings in my backyard. The painted ladies arrived in August and September while the majestic monarchs took over in October. But this year for the first time in the past nine years, there are only cabbage whites about. There are fewer honey bees and an occasional fritillary on the coastal trails. We lost a nearby habitat to construction this year, a possible reason for the fall off in butterflies on our street.