Migration Update: October 9, 2008

Please Report
Your Sightings! >>

Monarchs Pressing Southward During Brief North Winds
The migration advanced southward over the past week in two clear waves. The first big wave hit northern Texas last Thursday, and the largest roost of the season appeared in Sylvester:

Oct. 2 Sylvester, Texas (33 N, -100 N)
"They are here!!!!! For the SEVENTH YEAR IN A ROW we have monarchs in mass numbers roosting in the tall willow trees bordering the section of China Creek that runs through our family ranch! We had at least 50 groups of 250 to 500 settling in for the evening. So, preliminary count is estimated at a low of 12,500 and as high as 25,000!"

South winds held the migration's leading edge in place for 5 days. When the wind shifted to the north again on Tuesday the migration's leading edge jumped southward 150-200 miles to latititude 29N. They're approaching the Mexican border!

Oct. 7 Utopia, Texas (30 N, -100W)
"Last evening right at dusk I had about 30 Monarchs descend into the area dropping from high up, it seemed. The first clear wave of significant numbers. This morning from 9:30 to 9:40 I counted over a hundred lifting off, and some already a couple hundred feet up."

Oct. 7 La Pryor, Texas (29 N, -100 N)
"First cool morning of the season 52 degrees after cool front pushed through the area yesterday. Noticed the tree leaves magicaly come to life as I walked under them, at least 100 or more."

Oct. 7 Utopia, Texas (30 N, -100W)
"A couple single migrant Monarchs came through Sunday and Monday. All day Tuesday we had a post-frontal blow of 20-30 knots from the north and I kept checking the sky but not seeing anything, until dusk, 7:05 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., I saw at least 30 Monarchs going southwest, some quite high, only visible if using binoculars. This is the first inkling of a real wave so far this year."

For Your Journal: Explore this week's sightings!
Monarchs can only survive in places where their needs are being met. Where are monarchs finding the food, water, and shelter they need? Look for examples. Can you find ways that people are helping?

The largest roost of the season appeared this week in northern Texas, with up to 25,000 monarchs. More...

 

 

 

For Your Journal
Explore this week's sightings!

Where are monarchs finding food, water, and shelter during migration?

 

 

 

 

 

Focus: How High Can Monarchs Fly? How High Can We See Them?

Monarch migration can be invisible to us. When we watch migration from the ground, there is a large gap overhead where monarchs can travel and we can't see them.

How high can monarchs fly and how can we see them? These questions are important because we are tracking migration based on visual observations. Our migration maps only show what people saw.

1) Find out what scientists know — and don't know— about the height of monarch flight. 2) When do monarchs disappear from view? Design your own experiment or try one of ours.

When we watch migration from the ground, there is a large gap overhead where monarchs can travel and we can't see them. >>

The Migration: Maps, Data and Questions

Monarch
Fall Roosts

(map/sightings)

Monarch
PEAK Migration

(map/sightings)

ALL Monarch
Migration Sightings

(map/sightings)

Distribution Map >>

About these maps >>

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Make your own map >>

This Week's Map Questions >>

Classroom in Action: It's a Race! Monarchs Fly, Students Walk to Mexico

Minnesota students at Garlough Elementary are racing the monarchs to Mexico! Sixty students are wearing pedometers and counting the steps they take every day. It's 1,836 miles to the monarchs' winter home from their school.

Who will get there first, the monarchs or the students? It's a close race, says Jo Zimmel, physical education teacher who's cheering them on. The kids made it to San Antonio, Texas just as the butterflies were arriving in Dallas, Texas.

How would the math work at your school? Take a look:

Fourth grader racing monarchs to Mexico, with his pedometer

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.

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 October 9, 2008.