Monarch Migration Update: October 13, 1998
Today's Report Includes:
First Monarchs Cross Border into Mexico!
This news just in from Rocío Treviño, director of Mexico's monarch tracking project "Correo
Real". If you can't read Spanish, watch for a translation in next week's report:
"Las mariposas Monarcas se empezaron a ver desde el sabado 10 en Ciudad Acuña (29.50N, -100.80W) y
hoy 12 de octubre, recibí un reporte de Piedras Negras (28.75N, -100.50W), ambas ciudades situadas a la
orilla del Rio Bravo (Rio Grande) al norte del estado de Coahuila, ambos reportes sólo indican unas cuantas
mariposas, espero que con un frente frío que parece llega hoy por la noche entren en grandes cantidades
a México. Estaré en comunicación contigo."
Rocío Treviño
Correo Real
Migration and Longitude in the Longhorn State
When we left off last week, the first strong cold front of the fall was approaching, and the migration
was predicted to pour into Texas. Look what happened! Between Oct. 5 and 8, 30 sightings arrived from Texas and
Oklahoma--and all observers reported the first large numbers of monarchs this season. You can read the excitement
in their voices below. (See comments.) But first, look
closely at the longitude of each of the 30 sightings. These observers have collected some fascinating information!
Challenge Question #5
"At what longitude do the 30 sightings seem to be concentrated in Texas and Oklahoma? (Younger students should
round off to the nearest degree longitude, 95W, 96W, etc. and count the number of sightings reported from each
degree longitude). What do these sightings suggest about monarch migration through this region?"
To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.
Oklahoma Students Take a Daily Count
Immediately after the cold front moved through Edmond, OK, this news arrived from 2nd and 3rd grade students at
Russell Dougherty School:
10/06/98 Edmond, OK (35.39 N, -97.28 W)
"Today we decided to create a science experiment to see if the monarchs were really coming. Our hypothesis
is that the monarchs are migrating through Edmond, Oklahoma beginning today, Oct. 6th, 1998. Today our second and
third grade classes spotted 71 monarchs on our playground in 20 minutes. Each day we will observe at 2:15-2:35
and keep a tally count of the monarchs observed in 20 minutes. We were excited when we saw each and every one.
One of our second graders said 'the butterflies looked like millions--uncountable!!!' " (jbrehm@edmond.k12.ok.us
Above: Monarch enjoying the garden provided by Russell Dougherty Elementary students in Edmond,
OK.
Challenge Question #6
Fall, 1998 Migration Sightings in Edmond, OK
Here is a summary of this fall's sightings reported by students:
| 09/11/98 |
We finally saw 1 monarch. |
| 09/27/98 |
70 monarchs seen over the last week. |
| 10/06/98 |
71 monarchs seen in 20 minutes. |
| 10/07/98 |
87.15 monarchs seen in 20 minutes. |
| 10/08/98 |
123.4 monarchs seen in 20 minutes. |
| 10/09/98 |
26.6 monarchs seen in 20 minutes,
for a total of 1,344 over the last week. |
Try This!
Review the weather maps for Oct 5- 9 (see below). Describe weather conditions in Edmond, OK (35.39 N, -97.28 W)
each day. Which way was the wind blowing? How fast? Was the sky clear or cloudy?
Challenge Question # 6
Do you think the weather conditions caused the sightings in Edmond, OK to drop off on October 9th? If so, describe
the weather changes that day and why you think this was the cause."
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October 4
(6 pm)
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October 5
(6 am)
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October 5
(6 pm)
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October 6
(6 am)
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October 6
(6 pm)
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October 7
(6 am)
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October 7
(6 pm)
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October 8
(6 am)
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October 8
(6 pm)
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October 9
(6 am)
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October 9
(6 pm)
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Key to Weather Symbols
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Discussion of Challenge Question #4
Challenge Question #4 asked: "Do you think the data collected so far at Cape May show there a fewer monarchs
this fall than usual? Why or why not?" (See September
29, 1998 update.):
Students at Citrus Elementary School in Vero Beach, FL discovered that seeing is believing: "While my class
was quick to agree that the data on the table showed that fewer monarchs had been seen this year than last, after
looking at the data (when graphed) we were divided on whether this year's numbers were much lower than usual,"
reported Miss Bailey.
Added Mr. Daugherty, also at Citrus Elementary: "Our classroom had fun doing the Challenge Question # 4 activity.
We especially liked doing the line graphs. When looking at the line graphs it was easy to see that this year, 1998,
has so far shown fewer Monarch sightings in Cape May, New Jersey than in any other of the previous six years, except
for 1992, the first year that Mr. Walton kept track of the sightings. 1997 had the greatest amount of sightings.
The Migration appears to peak around the fourth or fifth week. (daughert_m@popmail.firn.edu)
Find Out How This Year's Monarch Population is Faring!
Another 2 week's data has been collected since our September update. Visit the Cape
May Monarch Migration Project for daily updates on this fall's migration and complete your graph!
Coming Next Week: Symbolic Monarch Migration
Update
Monarchs are expected to arrive here in droves today, after the October 9th postmark deadline and yesterday's U.S.
post office holiday for Columbus Day. Watch for news from migration staging area in Minneapolis next week.
How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions:
Please answer ONLY ONE question in EACH e-mail message!
- Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-monarch@learner.org
- In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question # 5 (or #6)
- In the body of each message, answer ONE of the questions in today's report.
The Next Monarch Migration Update Will be Posted on October 20, 1998.
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