Monarchs (dialup warning)
The other day I saw three of the four stages of the Monarch life cycle in my yard at the same time (I probably could have found the fourth, too, if I'd had the patience to look). Thought I'd share these photos with DU.
Caterpillar
Chrysalis
Butterfly
I also saw a little baby Queen caterpillar (the Milkweed stalk is about 1/4" in diameter):
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I can't say I love them 
I would be perfectly happy not to have to deal with cockroaches (especially not flying ones which is, I think, one of the CREEPIEST bug experiences I've had - shudder!) But even cockroaches I try to avoid killing (I throw them outside). One of the things I'm loving about my desert landscaping is the variety of bugs - as long as they stay outside in the garden, that is. They are fascinating.
Every time I look at it I think "Muncha muncha muncha"
for them. On the other hand, you can see Russia from your house
actually taken with a 55 to 250 zoom - the metadata says at 143 ... it is hard to get close enough to them to use the macro. But I got super lucky cause one stayed pretty still on the Bird of Paradise. The caterpillar and the chrysalis were with the macro (and, confession time, the pictures were technically taken on different days ... I saw all three on multiple days ). The macro is still pretty new so it is always fun to play with it.
The chrysalis is amazing! Nature is so f'in cool!
I missed the emergence of the butterfly (it happened before I got out in the yard one morning) 
along the lines of "F**k this Presidential royalty BS!"
which is native to Arizona (I tried as much as possible to select native plants as well as low water use plants)
http://www.delange.org/MilkweedDesert/MilkweedDesert.htm
There is another Desert Milkweed (Asclepias erosa) which is also native to AZ but doesn't seem to be planted here much. When you say Desert Milkweed here, everyone assumes Subulata.
My understanding is all the Milkweeds attract Monarchs so you should be good.
I didn't really start seeing Monarchs till the second year once the plants got big enough so don't expect much next year (depending on where you are and how big they get) - and the two plants in the back aren't big enough so I really only see them in the front yard (which, as it turned out, apparently has more plants which attract them). I'm fine with that since I look out on the front yard from more places in the house, especially when I'm doing dishes!
I put in 8 Asclepias tuberosa plants a couple months ago (4 bloodflower and 4 hello yellow). I sincerely hope that they will be large enough by the time the monarchs migrate all the way up here to Michigan next summer.
I also have a packet of seeds to plant, but I expect those to take a full years growth (plus some) to attract butterflies.
bloodflower milkweed
Hello yellows
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I find it very funny because my partner is an evolutionary biologist and (sort of) naturalist but I notice WAY more nature (and everything)! I'm not as cerebral and I look around much more. We walk home from work on the day's I'm working and I'm always the one saying, "look, a hummingbird" - the ones that kill me are big ones like, "hmmm - I wonder why they painted [description of new house paint]?" and I get a response of "was that house painted differently before?" #facepalm 