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Monarch Migration Update: May 18, 1999
Today's Report Includes:
- Monarchs Pour into Northern Regions
- Mapping the 1st Spring Generation
- NOW How Many States--and Provinces?
- Life is Sweet for Monarchs
- The Monarch Migration Will Continue When School's Out
Monarchs Pour into Northern Regions
What a difference a week makes! Monarchs of the 1st spring generation are now appearing in full force. Over the past week, 24 fresh, new monarchs have been reported from 13 states--and the 1st sightings also arrived from Canada.
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Mapping the 1st Spring Generation
How far did the monarchs from Mexico go--and where are their offspring now being seen? As you place today's data on your map, you may want to distinguish between the 2 generations--perhaps with a differently shaped symbol.
Roughly speaking, you can consider sightings BEFORE May 10th as monarchs from Mexico, and those on or AFTER May 10th as their offspring.
Students who are interested in a precise answer to this question should conduct further research: Go to the Monarch database on the Journey North website. Read the comments from each observer. Make note of sightings of "FADED/OLD" butterflies and of "FRESH/NEW" monarchs. If the observer did not include this information, contact her by e-mail for these details.
NOW How Many States--and Provinces?
For those keeping track, here is a summary of this spring's migration:
| As of |
Total # |
Total # |
New This Week |
| Mar 16 |
2 |
0 |
TX, LA |
| Mar 23 |
4 |
0 |
FL, MS |
| Mar 30 |
6 |
0 |
AR, SC |
| April 6 |
8 |
0 |
OK, TN |
| April 13 |
16 |
0 |
MO, GA, IL, KS, AL, |
| April 20 |
18 |
0 |
NE, NJ |
| April 27 |
20 |
0 |
VA, OH |
| May 4 |
24 |
0 |
IN, NY, PA, MI |
| May 11 |
25 |
1 |
MN, ON |
| May 18 |
29 |
1 |
WI, IA, CT, NH |
Life is Sweet for Monarchs
As you know, butterflies rely on the high-energy nectar
of flowers for food. In return, butterflies pollinate the flower. Nectar if very sweet: For example, bees prefer
nectar with a sugar concentration in the 30-50% range. (For comparison, Classic Coke is only 10% sugar!) The amount of nectar in flowers varies considerably--and it changes with the seasons, and even with the time of day. Amazingly, most flowers only produce nectar during certain hours of the day. The nectar of spring flowers is usually much more concentrated than that of fall flowers. (Biologists think flowers may have evolved this higher sugar concentration of spring flowers as a strategy to attract pollinators. With the abundance of flowers in the spring, there is a shortage of pollinators. Later in the season, flowers can "get away" with watered-down nectar because pollinators are more abundant.)
Try This!
- Watch a monarch (or other butterfly) carefully while it visits a flower. Can you observe the butterfly lowering its proboscis into the flower? Can you see any pollen on the butterfly? (Pollen usually looks like powder, and is often colorful.) Based on any pollen you see, do you think the butterfly is visiting different species of flowers?
- After the butterfly leaves the flower, go back and look carefully at it. What is the shape of the flower? What color is it? If it's a dandelion or similar "weed", pick the flower and dissect it. Using a hand lens, look carefully at the anatomy of the flower, and sketch what you see. Can you find where the nectar is stored? The pollen?
- As the season progresses, keep a record of the different flowers that are available to monarchs and other pollinating insects. Watch for pollen on the insects' bodies. How many different pollinators do you think you can identify in your own backyard between now and the first fall frost?
The Monarch Migration Will Continue When School's Out
Although our last scheduled update is next week, we will continue to collect your monarch sightings daily. Every Tuesday, watch for a new migration map and data update until the monarchs have completed their journey north.
However, WE CAN'T TRACK MIGRATION WITHOUT YOU!
Please help by sending your observations--even if by phone, FAX, or in
person. Each and every sighting is important, so please don't forget to
send yours.
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Journey North |
The Next Monarch Migration Update Will Be Posted on May 25, 1999.
Copyright 1999 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form
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