"Strong winds out of the south have pretty much stalled directional flight. Went around my 1.5 acre property that's heavily planted with butterfly host and nectar plants and counted 850+ monarchs." October 11 Glenn Heights, TX

Across the border in Mexico, Rocio Treviño coordinates the migration-tracking project there:

"We are still awaiting the monarchs. Hopefully the next cold front will carry them into Coahuila." October 12 Saltillo, Coahuila

Still Leaving the North
During the past week, exceptionally late monarchs were counted in surprisingly large numbers. Many were still 2,000 miles from their winter home in Mexico, and where cold October temperatures could trap them.

• Iowa: An estimated 500 monarchs were mobbing late-blooming prairie flowers on October 10th.
• Michigan: The same day, 39 monarchs were counted as they traveled down the Lake Huron shoreline.
• Wisconsin: Mid-October's boldest butterfly was the monarch flying over Lake Michigan last week, two miles offshore!

Too Late to Migrate?
Late-migrating monarchs are less likey to reach Mexico, but they can travel quickly when conditions are favorable as this tagging story shows.

• Where are the Monarchs?
• Ways to Help