Hurricane
Ike Rips Across Eastern North America
We begin this week with heartfelt concern for the people who
were affected by Hurricane Ike. The world watched last weekend as the
hurricane struck, but we worried like family about the people in the monarch
community who live in the hurricane's path.
Hurricane
Ike: How Were Monarchs Affected?
Did you know that hurricanes can be a hazard monarchs face during their
migration to Mexico? Hurricane Ike showed how hurricanes
can destroy human property and lives.
Some people wondered, in what ways could such a powerful storm affect
the monarch population? After all, most of North America's monarchs are
heading toward Texas right now and the Texas Gulf Coast is one of their
main migration pathways. What might the impact of a hurricane be on monarchs
and other wildlife?
Clearing
After the Storm: A Strong Pulse of Migration
Strong wind and rain held the migration in place until the remnants of
Hurricane Ike had moved across eastern North America. But when the weather
cleared, monarchs were on the move!
Canada
and the Great Lakes
Monarchs have been pouring out of Canada along the northern shores of
the Great Lakes. The first roosts were finally reported from Canada, too.
"The
last major Ontario monarch migration wave is underway," wrote Don
Davis from Toronto also on the 15th. "East of
Toronto, the crew at the Cranberry Marsh Hawk Watch reported thousands
of monarchs and dragonflies." On Sunday monarchs were moving through
at a rate of 60 per hour.
"Hundreds
of monarchs sighted flying west, hugging Lake Ontario's north shoreline.
Hundreds also resting in trees. Strong westerly wind, the aftermath
of Ike which blew through yesterday," observed Ian Ross in Whitby,
Ontario, on Monday, September 15th.
Central
United States
The monarchs pushed into Kansas in a clear wave. In Kansas City, Elizabeth
Brown had been watching the weather and migration map. She predicted that,
with clear skies, the monarchs would soon arrive:
. .."and
here they are!" she exclaimed on Tuesday. "The migration today
was excellent! In one hour I observed 160 Monarchs, and 60 of these
came in 18 minutes."
"My
office is on the eighth floor of Mission Towers and for the last few
days my colleagues and I have been treated to the sights of dozens of
monarchs streaming by," Mike Helzel wrote from Mission, Kansas
today.
East
Coast
Watch the Atlantic Coast in the week ahead because we should
finally begin to see some movement there. Also in the East, Dr. Lincoln
Brower reported from his home in Virginia that a clear wave of migrants
arrived on Wednesday:
"The
monarch situation here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia between
Charlottesville and Lynchburg has been worrisome this summer and fall.
However, at 3 PM today (17 Sept 08) I counted 17 fresh, obviously migrants
nectaring. And at 7PM they were gyrating around and we saw a small cluster
(count ~ > 16) forming on our Tulip Poplar!!!"
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