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Monarch Migration Update: September 15, 1999
Today's Report Includes:
- Cold Front Starts the Migration in the East!
- Eastern Monarchs Smaller This Year? Challenge Question #4
- Monarchs Still Flooding From North Central States
- Geography and Migration: Challenge Question #5
- Make Your Own Digital Migration Maps
- Video Clips of Migrating Monarchs
- Reminders: Symbolic Migration Deadline & Mexico Trip
Cold Front Pushes Migration in the East!
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Highlights Along the Migration Trail |
Connecticut and Rhode Island: September 11/12
"I believe that the migration has begun!", reports S.B. Butler School in Mystic, CT. "We observed 11 monarchs constantly during the day on our butterfly bushes. Teachers who live in Watch Hill, R. I. on Sunday (9/12) sighted 27 monarchs in 10 minutes time."
Massachusetts: September 11
"Monarchs!! Doug Savich visits Eastern Point in Gloucester, MA every day to count butterflies. He reported 0-1 monarchs every day last week except Sat. Sept 11 when he counted 200 monarchs in 20 minutes (they were nectaring) and on Sun. Sept. 12 he saw 30. Friday we had torrential rain (5 inches in a day, more than the entire summer) and the monarchs were raring to go I guess."
Fran Ludwig reporting for Doug Savich of Gloucester, MA
(ludwig@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us)
Maine: September 12
"Hundreds of monarchs were spotted flying south to south-west on September 12 over Muscongus Bay, in Maine as I was sailing."
Kathy Zwick of Muscongus Bay, ME (kathy_zwick@fivetowns.net)
Pennsylvania: September 13
"We have had a steady stream of Monarchs in the past week that picked up in numbers daily. On 9/13 I went into the field behind our house hourly and could count a dozen Monarchs each time, plus another 6 constantly on my 7 butterfly bushes. They were all stopping to nectar and then flew on west. This is double the amount we were seeing in the field last week. In spite of the drought we have hand-raised 176 from eggs or caterpillars since the end of July. A much better year than we expected."
The Shafers of Mifflinburg, PA (fourks@ptd.net)
Eastern Monarchs Smaller This Year?
Challenge Question #4
Dr. Lincoln Brower expects that the monarchs from the eastern U.S. and Canada will be smaller this year than normal.
Challenge Question #4
"What might cause monarchs from the eastern U.S. and Canada to be smaller this year than normal?"
(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)
Monarchs Still Flooding From North Central States
The forward edge of the migration in the Midwest should soon be moving into Nebraska. Mrs. Leishman's students in Fort Calhoun, NE sighted 76 monarchs in fields, and a large group roosting in the trees at sundown on Sunday. No word yet from from Ms. Kloewer's students in York, NE who are watching and waiting for the monarchs to monarchs arrive there. But the skies were thick with monarchs this weekend according to observers in IA and WI:
Iowa: September 12
"Sunday, September 12 was definitely Monarch Day in Iowa City, Iowa! Our class saw well over 300 monarchs. One student, Jesse, saw a huge swarm of over 200 monarchs at one time. Another student, saw a few only about 10. Our teacher saw about 60 within a 10 minute period. The weather has begun to turn cooler. and it is dropping into the 50s at night. This is a little cooler than it should be for this time of the year."
Mrs. Kurtz's class of Iowa City, IA (kurtz@iowa-city.k12.ia.us)
Iowa: September 12
"On Sunday, we counted 145 monarchs in the 30 miles between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. It was sunny and in the low 70's. There were 3 casualties noticed from the traffic."
Iowa: September 11/12
"We saw large flocks of more than a hundred monarchs in the Cresco, IA area this weekend."
Ms. Westcott of Crestwood Elementary in Cresco, IA (6a@howard-winn.k12.ia.us)
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Wisconsin: September 11
"We own forty acres four miles south of Glenwood City, Wisconsin and have been watching the monarchs for the past week. We observed about 50-100 in our twin oak trees for the past few evenings. Today I walked out on our nature trails in our acreage and saw at least 1,000 plus monarchs. We had a huge crop of goldenrod and they were everywhere. An awesome sight and thought it might be helpful to the migration tracking.
Dianne Harris of Glenwood City, WI (birderdi@win.bright.net)
Wisconsin: September 12
"Dozens and dozens seen in Door County while biking this past weekend. More than in any of the previous seven years."
John Stathus in Door County, WI (jstathus@mtsd.k12.wi.us)
Wisconsin: September 14
"Tuesday had to be the peak of the migration in these parts. We had over 300 monarchs in our pine trees around our school. The sixth graders had a great time giving tours to some lower grades and were quite impressive as tour guides. Dexter reports his maple trees were covered last night. He estimates there were 3 to 4 thousand! We have been counting migrating monarchs reported during each day's science class. These represent the number seen overnight and before school. We're still counting and will report our final data to you. We doubt that it will get better than Tuesday."
Mr. Fritz and Students of Livingston, WI (dave.fritz@igs.k12.wi.us)
| September 3 |
57 |
| September 8 |
131 |
| September 9 |
191 |
| September 10 |
171 |
| September 14 |
300 |
Wisconsin: September 14
"Monarchs (hundreds of them) were gathered at my son's home located 1 mile north of the mouth of the Oconto River on Green bay at 12:00 noon on Update 09/14/99. Oconto is located about 40 miles North of Green Bay on the bay of Green Bay."
Layne Erickson of Oconto, WI (randomron@dct.com)
Wisconsin: September 11 & 12
September 11th and 12th (Sat and Sun) - Saw hundreds/thousands of monarchs migrating along Lake Michigan through Ozaukee County - just north of Milwaukee County in Wisconsin. I was at a cross-country meet in the AM - one mile off the Lake and was seeing a monarch a minute. Many sighting were in pairs/triplets. In the PM I was right along the Lake Michigan bluff and the migration continued with the same numbers sighted. Today (Sun) saw a frontal system moving in and the numbers of yesterday halved."
Kupcho of Lake Shore Middle School (skupcho@mtsd.k12.wi.us)
Geography and Migration
Challenge Question #5
"Why do you think so many monarchs were reported from Wisconsin at longitude -87W?" (See all records from Wisconsin on the web; only a partial listing is here.)
(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)
Make Your Own Digital Migration Maps
If you enjoy the migration maps on our website, here's a chance to make your own. Free mapping software can be downloaded and used with monarch migration data. We will add new data sets to the web each week, so you can track the monarchs all the way to Mexico. Be sure to ask your technology coordinator for help in using this powerful software. With a little practice, you'll never go back to paper maps again! Students will be able to explore spacial data and interpret migration movements in ways not possible on paper.
Video Clip of Monarch on Minnesota Prairie
- Click here to download a QuickTime movie of monarchs nectaring on goldenrod--and blowing in the prairie winds.
- For a higher quality version (complete with sounds of the wind!), get a cup of coffee and wait while this large .mpg file downloads:
Reminders: Symbolic Migration Deadline is October 8, 1999
All migrating symbolic monarchs must be on their way no later than October 8th. Don't forget this postmark deadline. For more information see: Send a Monarch to Mexico
Spring Teacher Trip to Mexican Monarch Sanctuaries
Travel with Dr. Bill Calvert to the monarch wintering sanctuaries in Mexico next March 11-18, 1999. Cost: $950 plus airfare to Mexico City. For details write to Dr. Calvert directly at: wcalvert@bga.com
How to Respond to Today's Monarch Challenge Questions
IMPORTANT: Please answer ONLY ONE question in each e-mail message!
1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-monarch@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #4 (or #5).
3. In the body of EACH message, answer ONE of the questions above.
The Next Monarch Migration Update Will be Posted on September 22, 1999
Copyright 1999 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form
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