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Monarch Migration Update: October 13, 1999

Today's Report Includes:

Las Mariposas Monarcas Llegan en Mexico!
The monarchs have now crossed the border into Mexico! So if you can't read Spanish, it's time to find a friend who can. As they continue their migration, we're thrilled to provide news from south of the border, thanks to Senora Rocio Trevino. Senora Trevino is the director of "Correo Real" (Royal Mail), an education program based in Mexico that tracks migration in schools, like Journey North.

Here is Senora Trevino's report from Saltillo, Coahuila.

"¡Llegaron las mariposas a Saltillo! Desde las nueve de la manana (12 de octubre) estamos gozando del vuelo de las monarcas por toda la ciudad, se ven cientos de Monarcas planeando desde los tres metros hasta 50 metros de altura. El día esta medio nublado, la temperatura es de 19 grados centigrados, sopla un poco de viento 8-24 Km/h del sur."

Challenge Question #12
"What did she see?! Can you translate Senora Trevino's message from Saltillo, Coahuila?"

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)

Sightings Contributed by: Los Miembres de Correo Real
Important Note: We have removed Spanish characters from the text below because they do not come through properly over the Internet. Therefore, some of the words below are NOT spelled correctly.

Acuna, Coahuila: 4 de octubre
Empiezan a llegar las monarcas a Ciudad Acuna, Coah. desde las cinco de la tarde he visto un promedio de 4 por minuto. Estamos preparando bienvenida con los ninos de las escuelas.
Norma Leticia Avendaño, Red de Educadores Ambientales de Acuna

Monclova, Coahuila: 10 de octubre
Observamos muchas mariposas volando bajo, de las 10:30 a las 13:00 hs, en el Parque Xochipilli nuevo, dia soleado. Una mariposa volando en el jardin de mi casa, al norte de la ciudad a las 11:00 hs.
Profra. Leonor Rodriguez Ramos y familia

Saltillo, Coahuila: 11 de octubre
Saliendo de clases a la 12:35 observe las primeras dos mariposas en el jardín de la Escuela Primaria " Prof. Rafael Ramirez" sitio en el que anualmente descansan cientos de mariposas y en donde desde el año pasado se designo como área de "Arboles Protegidos para la Mariposa Monarca". Prof. Jose Covarrubias de Hoyos

Monarchs Traveling Through Coahuila, Mexico
Photos courtesy of Rocio Trevino

Strong Migration Continues Across Texas
People in Texas are accustomed to everything BIG, and the migration reports during the last week were just that. Tens, dozens, hundreds--even thousands--of monarchs were seen in the skies, trees and fields across the state last week. Here are just a few of their comments:

Texas: October 3
"While on a ranch in Eden, Texas one of our Austin Area Homeschool monarch group members saw approximately 100 monarchs roosting in and flying around a large oak tree. They were also nectaring on some nearby purple wildflowers (most likely gayfeather)". William Taylor, Austin Area Homeschoolers in Austin, TX (debgrdn@aol.com)

Texas: October 5
"On October 5,1999, Miss McNeil and Mrs. Fettig's third grade classes spotted nine monarchs at recess."
by Ellen and Jessica from Mrs.Fettig's third grade class, Hutto Elementary in Hutto, TX (fettigm@hutto.txed.net)

Texas: October 6
"They're coming in for sure, now! We were delighted to have the monarchs accompany us on our picnic today at our neighborhood recreation area. We saw between 1-2 dozen, flitting about among the shady grove of Live Oak trees. Their rustic hues added splashes of color to our otherwise year-round green and brown foliage of a typical autumn day in San Antonio. Some rested briefly on lower tree branches, before continuing their journey." L.A. Goldner, Bright Star Academy in San Antonio, TX (goldlis@aol.com)

Texas: October 6
"Over 5 thousand monarch on our count today!! At a pecan orchard we walked a 5 acre area and observed roosting Monarchs in clusters of 18 to 112, on branches 6-10 feet from the ground. As the temp. warmed, we saw Monarchs in groups numbering 1 to 30, come in from the pastures on the North of the orchard. The Monarchs continued to come in through the trees & not above them. Noted an abundance of aphids on pecan trees." Lynda Johnson, Midland, TX (daisyherbs@powr.net)

Texas: October 6
"It is so exciting to see the Monarch migration beginning here in Early. Yesterday we saw approximately 40 Monarchs in a 30 minute period. The day was cool (upper 70's) and sunny with a slight breeze. The Monarchs were flying quickly, not lackadaisically as they were earlier in the month. They are brightly colored and their wings are in good condition." Dawn Turner, Early Primary School ISD in Midland, TX (dawn.turner@netxv.net)

Texas: October 7
"The monarchs are here! Students were so excited to see monarchs visiting ur milkweed today. A male monarch ignored the students in the garden as it was getting nectar. How exciting for the students to see the migration taking place right before their eyes!" Patty Perkins, Krahn Elementary in Klein, TX (lpaw@msn.com)

Texas: October 7
"Today was our first sighting of a large group of Monarchs in our neighborhood back yards. There were over a hundred and I'm sure that the numbers will increase for the next couple of days." Janet Guthrie, San Angelo, TX (juddsfn@aol.com)

Texas: October 9
"Numerous monarchs (50+) observed migrating through during a one hour period prior to sunset. Dimmit and LaSalle Counties are on a major migration route. Peak migration appears to be mid- to late-October. In past years as many as 3,000+ individuals have been observed roosting in my backyard in Catarina, Texas. They utilized a large salt cedar tree. This particular tree fell in 1998. Monarchs stopped utilizing the immediate area even though there were other large salt cedars near by." Chip Ruthven, Artesia Wells, TX (cwma@vsta.com)
And more are on their way!

Oklahoma: October 6
"The Monarchs are on their way through south central Oklahoma (40 miles rom the Texas border. A steady stream since Saturday morning of about 100 per hour. We have butterfly weed on 40 acres and about the same in milkweed. There must have been 10,000 in the field. If you stood still they would light on you! It was incredible! It has been about 3 years since we had this many at one time!" Diane Mcgowen, Plainview Elementary in Ardmore, OK (dmcgowen@brightok.net)

Oklahoma: October 5
"We observed 3 monarchs flying south about 10:30 a.m. on a sunny morning in about a 15 minute time period in an open field behind Grand Ave. School." Mrs. Crump's Fourth Grade in Chickasha, OK (cpsgra2@netplus.net)

Drought and Monarch Food Options
Discussion of Challenge Question #10
Last week, people in Texas commented about the drought there. With fewer flowers in bloom, they wondered how this would affect the monarchs. Challenge Question #10 asked, "Do monarchs have food sources other than nectar? Describe how you think drought would affect monarchs and their migration."

Dr. Bill Calvert, who's based in Texas, responds:

"Monarchs are interested in drinking fluids containing sugar during their migration. They have been known to "feed" ("take-in sugar" would be a better way to describe it), on honey dew deposited by aphids on pecan leaves.

Their taking sweets from pumpkins and apples is therefore not surprising. I assume that the pumpkins and apples from which monarchs were reported to be drinking were at least partly decomposed. It would be very difficult, probably impossible, for a monarch to penetrated the skin of a "hard" apple or pumpkin with their proboscis. However I would think that along the migration route the supply of pumpkins and apples that are soft enough to use by monarchs are in short supply. Not so with honey dew coated pecan leaves, yum! There are lots of aphids and lots of pecans in this part of the world (Texas).

Challenge Question #13
"What is honeydew, and what does it have to do with aphids?"

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)

"The question of how drought effects the weight of migrant monarchs is most interesting-- and so far unanswered. This may be an excellent year to find an answer.

"So far, the best evidence comes from a study conducted several years ago when it wasn't especially dry. The average weight of monarchs in Central Texas was compared to the weight of monarchs that had traversed a part of the dry chaparral of South Texas and the Chihuahuan Desert of Northeast Mexico. Monarchs that had crossed these drylands weighed about 12mg (only 2%) less that the ones to the north that has ample nectar.

"Monarchs are being weighed during this drought year in Texas. So far there is no strong evidence of an effect. Breeding monarchs (premigratory) in Garner State Park weighed over 500 mg which is a very healthy weight for breeders. They were feeding on healthy looking frostweed located in a moist shaded area beneath a pecan grove. Elsewhere in more elevated areas around the park, the frostweed was pathetic looking - droopy leaves and no flowering to speak of. Apparently the breeding monarchs were able to find sufficient nectar.

"Weights of early migrants have also been taken, but not yet analyzed. We look forward to what they will tell us about the cost of migration through a drought stricken area.

"By the way, you've certainly noticed that much monarch activity has been reported from the Eastern Seaboard this migratory season. One theory, not yet proven, is that___. This will be an excellent year to test the theory and we are waiting with anticipation for the coming of the monarchs."

Challenge Question #14
Can you complete Dr. Calvert's sentence above? To what theory do you suppose he is referring?

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)

Teachers are invited to travel to the Mexican monarch sanctuaries next spring with Dr. Calvert.


Highlights From Migration Trail: Eastern States

Virginia: October 6
"Today (Oct 6) was the biggest wave of monarchs I've had yet. At 7:30AM while returning from the roost on Tom's Cove, I drove through a "blizzard" of monarchs! Had to go 5 mph so I wouldn't hit any of them. It was so amazing; I have never seen anything like it. Then at 8AM I sat on the primary dune and counted (with counting clickers) over 4,000 monarchs passing by me, heading southwest. Between site counts and road censuses, I estimate about 16,000 monarchs had migrated past me by 1PM. And I think this is a mild estimate." Denise Gibbs, Chincoteague, VA (Monarch301@aol.com)

North Carolina: October 8
"Mrs. Uhrin's class saw monarchs on the playground, one about every five minutes between 1:00 and 1:30 pm. Shenika also saw a monarch in the same area round 3:00." Mary Perry, Benvenue Elementary School in Rocky Mount, NC (mmpteach4@hotmail.com)

Alabama: October 8
"We have really had a lot of Monarch sightings this week. Usually two are three butterflies are seen together at a time, but just about every time we go outside we see them. Other classes are reporting the same when they go outside. Several children have seen Monarchs getting nectar or getting water." Allison Garrett, Donoho School in Anniston, AL (mustanggar@aol.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 #12 (or #13 or #14).
3. In the body of EACH message, answer ONE of the questions above.

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