MissSherry, All Danaids individually do not have the same tolerance for toxicity even within a given species. And along the same lines, all plants do not have the same level of toxicity even within a given species. So some of even our native plants are too toxic for some of our Monarch's while they are not for others. The conditions where the individual plant grows has a lot to do with its toxicity, and the genetics of the individual bug how high its tolerance is. Monarch cats do die from too much toxicity every day out there in nature. FWIW, Danaus affinis, chrysippus, eresimus, genutia and melanippus also all use variuos species of Cynanchum that are not found in the US. Whether any of our D. plexippus or D. gilippus could tolerate any of those species of plants I don't know. But they do tolerate at least generally three species of Cynanchum here. No idea who recorded the record for E. clauia and so no idea how etched in stone it really is. Bogus records are common - even see them here from time to time when sightings are accepted from hobbyists by record keepers. But I can tell you as one who established many new food plant records over the years not to be too surprised when a totally unrelated plant crops up as a viable and naturally used LFP by a species no matter how big a stretch you may think it is. Have a good example for you... Hemileuca magnifica. If you look up its LFP's in most any field guide you'll only find Artemsia filifolia - Indian or Sand Sagebrush (Townsend 1893) and A. tridentata - Big Sagebrush (Stone 1988). These two were the only known LFP's for it until Aug 1990 when I added Eriogonum effusum (Beutler 1990) at the bugs type locatity in south central CO. Both Steve Stone and Andy Warren (now Dr.) were in tow to confirm, and we even took pictures of the 3rd and 4th instar larva feeding on this new plant despite being surrounded by a sea of chest high sagebrush. I collected the larva, took them home with me and reared them through to adults on the buckwheat as a second confiration. I think buckwheat (Polygonaceae) could be called quite a "stretch" from sagebrush (Asteraceae). Larry

I checked Calflora.org for plants native to that area and noticed these particularly desirable plants listed: Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Brodiaea minor (dwarf brodiaea) Calochortus kennedyi (desert mariposa lily) Calochortus splendens (splendid mariposa lily) Calochortus striatus (alkali mariposa lily) Calochortus venustus (butterfly mariposa lily) Cupressus arizonica (Arizona cypress) Dichelostemma capitatum (blue dicks) Eriogonum fasciculatum (Eastern Mojave buckwheat) Fremontodendron californicum (California flannelbush) Iris missouriensis (Rocky Mountain iris) Keckiella breviflora (gaping bush beardtongue) Lupinus excubitus (grape soda lupine) Lupinus formosus (summer lupine) Lupinus grayi (Sierra lupine) Lupinus latifolius (broadleaf lupine) Mirabilis laevis (wishbone bush) Mirabilis multiflora (desert four o'clock) Oenothera californica (California evening-primrose) Penstemon grinnellii (Grinnell's beardtongue) Penstemon incertus (Mojave beardtongue) Penstemon laetus (mountain blue beardtongue) Penstemon rostriflorus (beaked beardtongue) Penstemon speciosus (showy beardtongue) Ribes cereum (Squaw currant) Stanleya pinnata (desert prince's plume) Since my garden's conditions are very different from those of the Mojave desert, I can't grow most of these. But I do grow the common yarrow and the Eastern Mojave buckwheat, and I like them both very much. I would grow all the plants on this list if they would grow where I live!

I live in a desert region and we have lots of wildflowers. Some are annual, but there are also a lot of perennial ones too. Are you familiar with the Palmer Penston? They are blooming now. I could collect you a few seed of that if you are interested. Of course it will be awhile before they go to seed. It is too late for the Prince's Plume and the Orange Mallow, but the Blue Flax is setting seed now. Let me know.

What a beaut! I'd love to see some western hummers over here. Would even love to see a mature male rufous. I believe some odds and ends ones (like a green violet ear) have occasionally been spotted in the east. Maybe one day. :-)