Monarch Butterfly Migration Update: September 13, 2001 Today's Report Includes: Monarchs in the Wake: A Reminder of Beauty in a Shattered World Highlights From Along the Migration Trail Monarchs on the Move in the East Peak Migration Continues Across Iowa's Skies and Southward Discussion of CQ #2: Migration Math: Who Saw the Most Monarchs? Watching and Waiting at the Overwintering Sites Discussion of CQ #3: Why Does the Chrysalis Twist and Turn? Tip for Teachers: Form and Function in Nature: What Does it Look Like and Why? Inside the Chrysalis: What's Taking Place? Challenge Question #4 Symbolic Monarch Migration: Note NEW Address! Monarchs in the Wake A Reminder of Beauty in a Shattered World In the aftermath of Tuesday's terrorist attacks on America, Craig Tufts, Chief Naturalist of the National Wildlife Federation, wrote from his home outside Washington, D.C: "In the mid-Atlantic states, the passage of a front on Tuesday evening brought rapidly clearing skies Wednesday morning. In recognition of Tuesday's horrific events, my employer had given us the day off to catch up with friends and family and to overcome some of the shock of the terrorism. My wife and I attempted to do that and started the day slowly, going out to our deck with our coffee and appreciating the phenomenally beautiful day that had been given us. Link to Craig Tuft's full comments "Seeing and recognizing that some wonderful aspects of life on this planet go on, no matter how frightening and uncertain other parts of our lives may seem, helped steer things back towards whatever normal might mean for us in the months ahead." Rocio Trevino, Director of Correo Real (a monarch migration tracking project in northern Mexico) sent these thoughts and hopes to all Americans from Coahuila, Mexico: "Los lamentables sucesos de New York y Washington, nos entristecieron enormemente. Deseamos que las heridas que estos atentados terroristas abrieron en sus corazones, con la ayuda y bendicion de Dios se curen pronto. Uniremos nuestras oraciones por las victimas y sus familias." (Link to Systran online translator.) Highlights From Along the Migration Trail Link to This Week's Migration Data (for classroom mapping.) Monarchs on the Move in the East Reports from across the eastern region indicate monarchs are on the move: 09/11/01 Montgomery County, MD "The monarch migration is in full swing here in northern Montgomery County, Maryland. Today, at the nature center where I work, my colleagues and I were gathered around the radio listening in horror to the news (we're just 20 miles north of Washington DC) until we just couldn't bear to listen anymore. We took a walk around a meadow in our park, still dazed and in shock. That is, until I noticed that monarchs were drifting by on a gentle northwest wind. Their wild perfection lifted our spirits, and reminded us that there is still grace and beauty in this world." Denise Gibbs 09/08/01 Quakertown, PA "Saturday, September 8th, 2001 was the first time in my life I've been lucky enough to witness the Monarch migration. We were swept away with hundreds of Monarch Butterflies in our trees. Standing in the sun with hundreds of butterflies fluttering around me was as close to heaven as one can get- and still go in the house & have lunch." Peak Migration Continues Across Iowa's Skies and Southward As today's migration map shows, the state of Iowa is covered with reports of migration highlights. Here are a few: 09/10/01 Kalona, Iowa "We counted 73 monarchs flying over our playground between 11:10 and 11:25 AM. We were anxious to get back out there at 2:00! We have a nice wind from the north today. From 1:45-2:00, 114 monarchs were sighted. It looks like a peak. We had to stop, only because we had to come inside from recess. The students are having a great time with this." Washington Township Elementary 09/10/01 Omaha, NE "I am happy to report that at about 2 p.m Monday afternoon the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade at Mary Our Queen Elementary counted over 230 monarchs migrating south in less than 15 minutes. The Monarchs were flying in groups of one,two,three and even six right over our heads both high and low, it was amazing. I have only seen them roosting and found it an extraordinary site to watch them fly directly over the students heading due south on a beautiful sunny blue skied day. Our temps were right around 80 with a soft southerly breeze. Quite striking to see so many bright orange gliding butterflies in the blue sky!!!" Mary Our Queen Elementary Challenge Question #2 Migration Math: Who Saw the Most Monarchs? Check your math on the worksheet below and you'll discover that Observer #7 counted the most monarchs--300 per hour! But has the pace of migration now picked up? How many monarchs per hour did the students in Omaha, Nebraska and Kalona, Iowa students see? Link to Student Worksheet and Answer Sheet Watching and Waiting at the Overwintering Sites Children at 12 schools surrounding the overwintering sites have their eyes on the skies, watching and waiting for the first butterflies to arrive. As of Tuesday, none had yet been sighted. We've notified them to expect an early arrival. Link to Letter to Mexican Students Discussion of Challenge Question #3 Why Does the Chrysalis Twist and Turn? Mrs. Nunnally's second grade class in Bedford, NH thinks that the monarch twists and turns so vigorously as the chrysalis forms: to help shed its skin to tighten up the body to be smaller in the chrysalis to make sure the chrysalis is all around the body" Brock, a 3rd grade student in Mrs. Koontz's class in Bowie, Maryland writes: "The monarch is shedding its last skin. The monarch putting on its chrysalis is like me putting on a sweater. I have to move a lot to get it on." Dr. Lincoln Brower shares his thoughts about the process--and stunning close-up images taken by a scanning electromicrograph. Also, listen to the audio clips in which Dr. Brower explains why this is a critical stage in the life history of the monarch. Scanning electromicrograph showing the tip of the cremaster post of a monarch butterfly chrysalid embedded in the silk pad. Courtesy of Dr. Lincoln Brower and Donna Williams, University of Florida There are two things that are happening when the caterpillar twists, he says: The twisting motion of the abdomen embeds the barbs of the cremaster post into the silk pad, so the monarch won't fall during its development. (See images!) The twisting also helps rid the caterpillar of its skin, so it won't stick to the chrysalis and interfere with the process of metamorphosis. Link to Dr. Brower's Full Description and Images Tip for Teachers: Form and Function in Nature What Does it Look Like and Why? Before discussing Challenge Question #3, teachers might begin by showing students the stunning image of the barbed hooks that hold the chrysalis to its silk pad. Without revealing what they are seeing, ask students: What do you think this might be? What familiar thing(s) does it look like? What is the purpose/function of each familiar thing? Write a descriptive list of all the "look alikes" students mention. In a column to the right, describe the function. As a class, write a poem incorporating the various forms and functions the group has generated. Finally, reveal to the students that this pictures is actually a part of the monarch butterfly. Ask them to guess what part of a monarch this might be. Learn from Dr. Brower's description what the silk and hooks do. Then go back to your list. Are any of the functions similar to those on the list you generated? Inside the Chrysalis: What's Taking Place? Next week Dr. Brower will describe what's happening during the days the monarch exists as a chrysalis. The monarch "changes its ecological niche entirely when it transforms from a caterpillar to an adult butterfly," he says. "They are two ecologically different organisms, as distinct as a field mouse and a hummingbird." Challenge Question #4: "Define the term 'niche.' Then describe how a field mouse is like a monarch caterpillar, and a hummingbird is like an adult monarch." (To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) Symbolic Monarch Migration: Note New Address! Check to be sure you have this year's NEW mailing address, as noted in this year's instructions: How to Send Your Monarchs to Mexico One reader discovered links to LAST year's OLD address from the Symbolic Monarch lessons. Be sure to use the address in Wayzata, Minnesota--NOT Minneapolis! Reminder: Postmark deadline is October 5, 2001. 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 each message write: Challenge Question #4 3. In the body of the message, answer ONE of the questions above. The Next Monarch Migration Update Will Be Posted on September 20, 2001. Copyright 2001 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form