Monarch Butterflies
Migration Update: April 3, 2008
Please Report
Your Sightings! >>

Today's Report Includes:

How to read a wind map >>
The Migration: Maps, Questions and Highlights

Waiting to see your first monarch?

This week's questions are for you! >>

Map/Animation/Sightings

Map Questions >>

Highlights: Sudden Change in a Single Day—Looking at Weather

March 27th was the week's big migration day. Strong winds blew out of Texas and a rash of sightings appeared to the north and east. The maps below show the weather conditions that day. Look at the warm lobe of air that stretched out of Texas and into Oklahoma and Arkansas. The region under this warm mass of air is exactly where the new monarchs appeared!

Weather Conditions on March 27th

Notice the lobe of warm air over Oklahoma and Arkansas.

A low pressure cell above Oklahoma produced southerly winds, pulling the warm air mass northward.

This map shows the wind speed and direction (on the ground).


Unsys
The Weather Channel 
Map: San Francisco State

Scientists who monitor weather and insect migration watch for conditions like these. As a warm front draws an air mass northward, insects can travel aloft great distances. The monarchs traveled the opposite way last fall when they rode with north winds that accompanied cold fronts.

Matt Smith of Mississippi Audubon saw something intriguing on March 27th, too. Matt tracks bird migration using weather radar, and he noticed an unusual pattern around Del Rio, Texas: “Very large numbers of what appeared to be insects (judging from their low velocities), were passing northward at high altitude (2000+ ft), from about 10 AM until sunset. I'd give anything to know if there were Monarchs in there...”

Matt has offered to share what he learns about weather radar and monarch migration this spring. “I plan to keep an eye on Journey North's Monarch observation maps to see if I can find a correlation.” We’ll keep you informed! Meanwhile, enjoy Matt's daily blog about radar and bird migration.

  • Where do you think the monarchs will go next? Make your predictions and record the results on this Prediction Chart!
Field Notes from Carol Cullar: Monarch Butterfly Flight >>

Why do monarchs avoid flying over mountains? When Texas naturalist Carol Cullar read this week's "Answers from the Expert" (see below) she added a pilot's perspective.

"Monarchs are all about flight. They are paired with the air. So, to consider whether monarch butterflies avoid mountains during their migration, it’s necessary for us to look at some of the physical attributes of the atmosphere and mountains—AND how the two factors interact" >>


Carol Cullar

Answers from the Monarch Butterfly Expert >>

Dr. Karen Oberhauser needs no introduction to most of our readers. She is well known and respected among students, teachers, and her scientist-colleagues alike. Dr. Oberhauser has been studying monarchs for over 20 years. Karen teaches and conducts her research at the University of Minnesota and her web sites, Monarchs in the Classroom and (Monarch Lab), provide monarch butterfly education and outreach across North America. Volunteers can help with Dr. Oberhauser's research this spring by participating in the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project

Find out!

  • Are a monarch larva's "stripes" as unique as fingerprints?
  • Do male Monarchs migrate north from Mexico?
  • Do monarchs avoid mountains during migration?


Answers from the Monarch Expert >>

 

Tip for Teachers
Using Ask The Expert in the Classroom >>

More Monarch Lessons and Teaching Ideas!

The Next Monarch Migration Update Will Be Posted on April 10, 2008.

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