Many monarchs were traveling along the Texas Gulf Coast. One observer counted 16 in Rockport on March 27th and another counted 10 in Port Lavaca on March 28th within one hour of looking! Were these butterflies blown to the coast by the north winds of the previous days?

The Next 6 Weeks
It's a critical time as the monarchs race northward to produce the next generation. Now in reproductive condition, the biological clock is ticking. Most of these monarchs will reach the end of their lives by the end of April. The butterflies have been busy with egg-laying.

"After spotting our first monarch, I inspected the milkweed. Sure enough, I found multiple eggs on the leaves," said Melba Olsen of Plainview, Texas.

Critical Habitat
The size of the next generation will largely be determined by the quality of breeding habitat in Texas, and neighboring states to a lesser extent. Reproduction is concentrated in this region in early spring because the temperatures are favorable and the vegetation is ready. It's important to note, however, that the extent of breeding in northern Mexico is not known. This is an area where more research is needed.