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How to Help Track the Spring, 1998 Monarch Migration Report the FIRST adult monarch butterfly you see this spring to Journey North! Also report Monarch Eggs on Milkweed. The Journey North project tracks the spring monarch migration each year via reports of the FIRST sightings of adult monarch butterflies. In addition, this spring we will also collect sightings of the FIRST MONARCH EGGS seen on milkweed. (When you see monarch eggs, you'll know monarchs have arrived in your region!) For the first time this year, a migration map will be produced every week, providing a "live" snapshot of the migration as it progresses. A summary of migration data contributed during the week will also be placed on the WWW on the same days. spring's map. SAMPLE Final Migration Map Spring, 1997 (Click on face of map to enlarge.) Remember: Please Prepare to Report to Journey North The date of FIRST adult Monarch Butterfly sighted The date of FIRST Monarch Butterfly egg sighted Important Notes Identification of Milkweed & Monarch Eggs Monarch Eggs Don't expect to see milkweed with more than one egg per leaf. This monarch layed eggs in captivity, so deposited many on a single leaf. Photo by Karen Obserhauser Please learn to identify milkweed now. The Monarch Watch WWW site has a photo guide for identification. Monarch eggs are usually found underneath the young leaves. (See photo.) If you're not certain you can identify monarch eggs correctly, please do not report sightings of eggs. To Residents of the Gulf States Please help us document whether monarchs have remained in your region throughout the winter. Report NOW if you have monarchs over-wintering monarchs in your region. About Captive-bred Monarchs If you raise and release monarchs, should we report them? NO, thank you! The purpose of this study is to follow the natural migration. Please be very careful NOT to report monarchs which you have raised and released! Your Field Observations are Important Please don't shy away from our computerized reporting system. The mapping software promises to make fabulous maps of the migration this spring. The computer will look up your latitude and longitude--and it will literally add sightings to the map over night. In order to do this efficiently we ask you to follow the reporting instructions below carefully. Thank you for your help! Elizabeth Donnelly Journey North How to Report to Journey North On all WWW pages, you will see a button with an OWL. Simply press the OWL button, and you'll be asked to enter your registered e-mail address. After you submit your address for "Authentication", a Field Data Form will appear. Simply fill out the form, then press the "Submit Your Sighting" button--and you're done!