This Week's Update Includes:

• News: Migration Slow, Numbers Low
• Slideshow: Where, When and How to Watch
• Migration: Maps and Journal

• The map shows the extent of the drought in the United States. As the monarchs travel through this region nectar will be in short supply.
• The graph compares the number and size of roosts reported this fall and last fall, which was also a small population.

How to Watch
Print this flier so you know how to watch for migrating monarchs this fall, and what to report. It can be tricky to tell if a monarch is migrating or not. Here are some of the signs people are seeing:

Flying
People are thrilled when they see monarchs flying toward Mexico. "Directional flight" means the butterflies are flying in clear direction rather than fluttering about randomly. Peter Ashcroft of Fort Qu'Appelle, Sasketchewan watched 5 monarchs pass in one hour:

"The butterflies were all flying in a southeast direction with a moderate tail wind from the northwest."

Nectaring
Monarchs feed hungrily in the fall. They must have nectar to fuel their migration. They must also eat enough nectar to gain the fat they'll need to survive the winter in Mexico. One valuable way to monitor migration is to take a daily count in a butterfly garden. An observer in Minnesota counts every day around noon.

"Fourteen monarchs feeding today--FANTASTIC!! We were getting worried since the counts started out late and were low. Hopefully in the next week we'll start seeing the big migration and numbers will get close to last year."

Roosting
This season's first fall roost wasn't reported until August 23rd, a week later than the typical first roost, and the roost was very small:

"Only about 10 monarchs tonight in the usual shelter belt where they have come for the last several years," wrote Connie Johnson from Watertown, South Dakota. On September 3rd, 80-100 monarchs arrived, "Largest group I have seen this year!"

Reproducing
In many southern states, people rarely see monarchs during June and July. Monarchs re-appear in August. Presumably, the butterflies are early migrants moving down from the north and they are reproductive. From Charleston, South Carolina, Porter-Gaud School reported on Wednesday:

"Ms Veron's class and Mrs. McCabe's class observed one female monarch laying eggs in our butterfly garden."

How long will monarchs continue to lay eggs where you live? Please watch carefully and report your observations to the egg and larva map!

• Please report your monarch sightings.

		Journal
All Sightings (map | animation | sightings)	Fall Roosts (map | animation | sightings)