The Monarchs That Flew the Wrong Way Two True Stories Here are two true stories about tagged monarchs that were found in unexpected places. What can we learn about migration from these monarchs that didn’t make it to Mexico? The Story of the Minnesota-to-Wisconsin Monarch Once upon a time--August 20, 2002, to be exact--a monarch butterfly was tagged in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. The tag was found 221 miles away in Neenah, Wisconsin on September 26, 2002. On a map, find Cannon Falls, Minnesota (44.50 N, -92.90 W) and Neenah, Wisconsin (44.19 N, -88.52 W). Which direction did the Minnesota-to-Wisconsin monarch fly? Use a compass to measure the "bearing" the monarch took when it left Minnesota. (Assume the butterfly flew as the crow flies, in a straight line between the two places, although this may not be true.) Which direction should the butterfly have flown from Minnesota to Mexico? The Story of the New Jersey-to-New York Monarch Once upon a time--October 15, 2001, to be exact--a monarch butterfly was tagged in Cape May, New Jersey. It was found 143 miles away in Amity Harbor, New York on October 20, 2001. According to the Cape May Monarch Migration Project census data for fall 2001, the winds in Cape May were as follows: October 15: WNW October 18: NW October 16: SE October 19: S October 17: W October 20: W On a map, find Cape May, New Jersey (38.97 N, -74.92 W) and Amity Harbor, New York (40.65 N, -73.38 W). Which direction did the New Jersey-to-New York monarch fly? Use a compass to measure the "bearing" the monarch flew when it left New Jersey. (Assume the butterfly flew as the crow flies, in a straight line between the two places, although this may not be true.) Which direction should the butterfly have flown from New Jersey to Mexico? Journaling Questions Why do you think the butterflies went in the directions they did? What questions do you have after reading these stories? What questions might you be able to answer if you had more information? Where is evidence lacking? These true stories provide some evidence about how monarchs migrate. What can we learn about migration from these monarchs that didn’t make it to Mexico? National Science Education Standards Science as Inquiry Use data to conduct a reasonable explanation. (K-4) Think critically and logically to make relationship between evidence and explanations. (5-8) Earth Science Weather changes from day to day and over the seasons. Weather can be described by measurable quantities, such as temperature, wind direction and speed, and precipitation. (K-4) National Geography Standards The World in Spatial Terms How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information. National Math Standards Geometry Specify locations and describe spatial relationships using coordinate geometry and other representational systems. Copyright 2003 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form