If We Assumed all Monarchs Went to Mexico... Contributed by Mr. Charles Cameron . . .then maybe we wouldn't look for them! This concern was raised by Mr. Charles Cameron of the Carolina Butterfly Society. February 16, 2006 “It’s starting to look like a constant stream of sightings would be possible if more folks were in the field on a regular basis. "I have wondered for some time how much the discovery of the Mexican overwintering sites has distorted the picture of Monarch behavior. For example, if we now assume monarchs all fly to Mexico in the fall, what is the need to be on the lookout for them in other places during that time? "Here is another example: It's been implied that the successful fall migrants all originated in the northern latitudes. However, I have reared and tagged several Monarchs here in North Carolina that were later recovered in Mexico. "When I told Dr. Bill Calvert about that last year he asked if I had published the observation. Of course not. How or where would I? My biggest stumbling block would be finding the time and methodology for a literature search to find current references claiming that the Mexican overwintering population comes from the Northern latitudes. Then I could claim a new piece of information. Anecdotally, Dr. Chip Taylor and Dr. Karen Oberhauser are aware of this, but I don't know that they have published that information either." Journaling Questions In your own words, explain the concern Mr. Charles Cameron is raising. What two things does he think scientists might be missing due to their assumptions? Most people like clean and tidy answers to their questions. People tend to be uncomfortable with "ambiguities" (unclear answers). How can this aspect of human nature interfere with good science? Copyright 2006 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form