Monarch Butterfly Migration Update: March 19, 2004

Today's Report Includes:

• Field Notes from Mexico by Dr. Bill Calvert
• Here Come the Monarchs!
• When Will the Migration Reach Texas?
• Challenge Question #10
• Why Stay Off of the Ground? Discussion of CQ #9
• Did You Know? Millions of Monarchs Eaten by Predators
• Mexican Monarch Conservationists: Unknown and Unsung
• Try This! Read Then Write
• Nombres y apellidos: What’s in a Family Name?
• My Monarch Habitat in...Challenge Question #11

"The butterfly colonies are definitely vacating, that's clear," said Calvert. Monarchs were pouring out of the arroyos at the base of the mountains. Where there were tens of millions of butterflies only last week, dense clusters were scarce this week. "It's very puzzling, though, because we haven't seen the flood of butterflies that typically fill the skies in Angangueo. Perhaps because it was unseasonably cold this past week--the coldest of the 5 weeks I've been here. But the colonies are definitely breaking up, and the butterflies have to be going somewhere!"

• Read and Listen to Field Notes from Mexico by Dr. Bill Calvert

Dr. Calvert himself will be flying north this week too, back to his home in Texas. Many thanks for providing these weekly updates from your phone booth in the field, Bill!

It's Springtime in Mexico! We thank Dr. Lincoln Brower, Sweet Briar College, who has studied the monarchs in Mexico over his lifetime, for sharing these beautiful images. Enjoy the view! More images >>>
Copyright Dr. Lincoln Brower Sweet Briar College

• Spring Monarch Butterfly Migration Maps

  Challenge Question #10
  "When does the spring migration usually arrive in Texas? In your answer, describe the pattern you see in past years."

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)

"Because predators will get them if they stay on the ground, tourists and other people might step on them and butterflies want to fly!," responded Mrs. Nunnally's students in Bedford, NH.

• Millions of Monarchs Eaten by Predators

Black-eared mouse (Peromyscus melanotis)	Monarch Enemies at the Over-wintering Sites
	Black-backed Oriole	Black-headed Grosbeak
	Photos Copyright Dr. Lincoln P. Brower, Sweet Briar College

Eduardo Rendón Salinas

"Language remains the primary communications barrier in Monarch Butterfly conservation," says Jordi Honey-Roses in his monthly update. "Despite their work, Mexican efforts to protect the Monarch's overwintering sites are overlooked, not well communicated, or not fully understood by the larger North American Monarch Butterfly community," he says.

Meet Eduardo Rendón Salinas, for example. He works on the staff of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. People all over the world depend on Eduardo and the Reserve staff to protect the monarch’s winter habitat. But like many of his Mexican counterparts, says Honey-Roses, Rendón’s hard work and commitment goes largely unrecognized.

• Mexican Monarch Conservationists: Unknown and Unsung

Then Write: Surprise Eduardo with a letter of thanks! He and the Reserve staff would enjoy knowing that you appreciate their hard work. Also, tell what you're doing to protect monarch habitat on the monarch’s breeding grounds in the north.

Eduardo Rendón Salinas
Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca (RBMM)
Primera Cerrada de Santos Degallado
Col. Heroes Ferrocarilleros
Zitacuaro, Michoacan 61500
MEXICO

• What's in a Family Name?
• ¿Qué encuentras en el nombre de Familia?

"We are 1,592 miles from the sanctuaries in Mexico. Although our ground is pretty much thawed, a late winter snow storm recently dumped about 4 inches of snow on our emerging grass, tulips, and plants in the butterfly garden at our school. The robins are already here and the trees are budded out, ready to bloom. We are on the Mississippi River. Our Monarchs usually arrive at the end of May and we hope to have a water feature added to our garden by that time to provide a complete habitat for our 'flying flowers.'"

Challenge Question #11
"In what state or province do you think this monarch habitat is located? Send us your guess! (And, send a photo of your local monarch habitat, plus geographical clues, for a future Challenge Question.)"

1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-monarch@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #10 (or #11)
3. In the body of your message, answer the question above.

The Next Monarch Butterfly Migration Update Will Be Posted on March 26, 2004

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