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Migration
Update: September 11, 2008 |
Please
Report
Your Sightings! >> |
They're
Definitely Moving Toward Mexico!
Look at the migration
map and you will plainly see, the monarchs are moving toward their
winter home in Mexico. They're entering Nebraska and Kansas right now
in large numbers, and people in Iowa are reporting peak conditions.
"Until
you see so many monarchs in one small area you have no idea of the magnitude
of their migration," said a woman in Stuart, Iowa, on Tuesday when
a roost appeared in her backyard.
"Migration
is in full swing in eastern Nebraska," noted 3rd grade teacher
Ms. Leishman in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, on Monday. "Last night
at sunset we watched at least 50-60 monarchs begin to roost in the trees
at our farm. During the school day the children watched 20+ monarchs
travel through the playground area."
The number
of migration sightings is increasing now in the east, and people are starting
to see more butterflies. From the 28th floor of his New York building
a man saw monarchs flying by the window today at the rate of about one
per minute!
How
Does This Fall Compare?
We have still not received a single report of a roost in Canada or the
eastern United States. This could indicate that the migratory population
is smaller than past years. This chart compares the total number of roosts
reported as of September 11 each year:
How
does this fall compare? |
Fall
2008 |
Fall
2007 |
Fall
2006 |
33
roosts |
104
roosts |
58
roosts |
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How many monarchs do you count in one minute? >> |
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Resting
at a roost in Minnesota
Photo: Nancy Bauer
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Attention
All Monarch Observers! |
We
need to know two things when you report your monarch sightings:
- The number
of monarchs you see and
- The number
of minutes (or hours) you were watching.
Why is this
important? Because when people report data in a uniform way we can make
accurate comparisons and see where the migration is strongest. We measure
the pace of migration in monarchs per minute (or monarchs
per hour). This measurement is called the migration rate.
Try
it! Who Saw the Strongest Migration?
Please
Report Your Sightings!
Watch for monarchs that are flying in "directional
flight," resting at overnight roosts, or refueling
at flowers in fields, gardens, or roadsides.
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The
Migration: Maps, Data and Questions |
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Guided
Tour for Using Journey North in the Classroom: Getting Started
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When,
Where and How to Watch Fall Monarch Migration
What kind of observations does Journey North collect and how are
they important? Students explore these questions as they read and
analyze authentic migration sightings. They discover that detailed
reports are essential in a scientific study of monarch migration.
Students apply their learning by writing their own "Practice
Reports." Finally, they learn how to report monarch sightings
to Journey North by submitting their practice reports to the live
"Practice Report" map.
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Build
a Travel Journal
As you embark on your journey with the monarchs, invite students
to begin building travel journals. Page by page, students collect
and reflect on their observations and learning experiences. The
journal is a workplace where students document discoveries, explore
ever-changing events, record compelling questions, and chronicle
each step of their scientific journey. Here are the first pages:
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Related
Journey North Lessons and Links |
Monarch
Butterfly Migration Updates Will be Posted on THURSDAYS: Aug. 28, Sep.
4, 11, 18, 25, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Nov. 6...or until the monarchs reach
Mexico!
The
Next Monarch Migration Update Will Be Posted on September 18, 2008.
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