In Mexico, the monarchs represent the spirits of loved ones, returning to visit. Yesterday we lost our dearly loved hound dog, Stewie to cancer, and saw the first monarch of the year a few hours after coming back from the emergency vet. Today this one came to our garden for the afternoon. Suburban garden with A. syriaca, A. tuberosa, and A. incarnata currently in bloom, between Boston and the Middlesex Fells. I think this is a male, but I'm not sure.