Migration Update: October 16, 2008

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Latest News: Migration Peaks in Texas and First Monarchs Finish Migration!
What a week! Just as the migration is coming to a peak in Texas the very first monarchs have been reported from the wintering sites in Mexico. Here are this week's migration highlights, from south to north:

From the Monarch's Winter Home in Mexico:
Only a few hours after Estela Romero wrote to say that no monarchs had been sighted she wrote back with this exciting news:

Oct. 15: Angangueo, Michoacan (20 N, -100 W)
"A customer just came into the store. She is a woman we know very well from La Salud and, without me asking her anything, she told me that a 'bunch' of butterflies flew past yesterday, Wednesday, October 15 at about 16:00 hrs. She will come again on Saturday. I asked her to watch out and tell me in detail if she sees any more passing by."

Estela Romero lives in Angangueo, Michoacan. Their town sits in the mountains near two of the monarch's twelve major wintering sites. Estela and her family operate a small store in Angangueo. La Salud is a nearby community that's located immediately beside the El Rosario sanctuary, traditionally the largest wintering site of all.

From Central Mexico:
Noami Suss lives only 60 miles north of the monarch overwintering region. When she saw monarchs on Sunday she predicted they would reach their final destination soon:

Oct. 12: Tequisquiapan, Queretaro (21 N,-100 W)
"We saw quite a few monarchs today in Tequisquiapan, about 10 monarchs per hour from 1PM to 4 PM. All of the butterflies I was able to get close to were females and they were laying eggs on the milkweed plants in my garden. Since we are very close to the reserves, I expect in two to three days you should be getting reports of them from there."

In Texas:
The south wind blew during most of the past week and stalled the migration. The roost map seems to show monarchs bunching up and waiting for the north wind. Notice how little the migration's leading edge advanced. Then, immediately after the wind shifted on Wednesday afternoon, monarchs took flight and streamed across the sky. From what we can gather, they were traveling in large numbers across the Texas sky in a huge migration that spanned at least 300 miles from Dallas/Ft. Worth to San Antonio! Eye witness Mitch Heindel describes what he saw:

October 15: Utopia, Texas (30N, -100W)
"There were 200-600 per minute for about 2 hours, with some still passing southwest at 7 p.m., when it was almost dark. At minimum there were 20,000 that passed over in 3 hours, probably many more. I don't know how wide the river was, I could see them a half mile on either side of me. It was very likely many many more, and the number estimated I feel is a conservative minimum. WOW !!" (Courtesy of Mike Quinn, Texas Parks and Wildlife.)

This Week's Highlights


First Monarchs Have Finished the Migration!
The first monarchs were sighted at the monarch's winter home in Mexico on October 15th! >>

The monarchs were reported to Estela Romero. Here is Estela (right) and her mother at the family's store in Angangueo. >>



Photo courtesy of Noami Suss

Sixty Miles from the Finish!
This monarch (and others) were spotted only 60 miles from the finish line on October 12th in Tequisquiapan, Querataro! >>



Photo courtesy of Terry Young

Peak Migration in Texas
With 700 miles left to fly, these monarchs were resting at a roost in Stonewall, Texas on October 15th. >>

Focus: Migration Pathways in Texas: What Do You Notice?

Watch this animation of the migration in Texas. Where do you see the monarchs traveling? Describe the migration pattern that you see. Next week we'll explore reasons why the monarchs appear to travel where they do!

Migration Maps, Animations and Questions

Monarch
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Monarch
PEAK Migration

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ALL Monarch
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Distribution Map >>

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This Week's Map Questions >>

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 23, 2008.