A few new monarch sightings were reported this week. Here's a chart summarizing this spring's sightings. We've added the observer's comments below.
Monarch Sightings, Spring, 1996
Date Location
03/01/96 Houston, TX
03/02/96 Brownsville, TX
03/03/96 Luling, TX
03/14/96 Garland, TX
03/14/96 Baton Rouge, LA
03/17/96 Sugar Land, TX
03/18/96 Eagle Lake, TX
03/18/96 Port O'Conner, TX
03/18/96 Houston, TX
03/24/96 Longview, TX
03/24/96 Lockhart, TX
Ready or Not, Here They Come
Since monarchs have begun to arrive in Texas and Louisiana, we contacted scientists and students there and asked about the habitat conditions. Her's what they had to say:
From:
Dr. Bill Calvert
Monarch Biologist
Austin, Texas
March 25, 1996
"We're having a serious drought here. The migration seems to be
delayed as a result. In central Texas, we are 8 inches below average
rainfall for the period October 1995 to March 1996. There is not
much for them to eat other than garden milkweeds. Both nectar plants
and food plants are in short supply. I wonder what happens to them
when they meet conditions like these.
"Sightings are sporadic and numbers are very low. A report arrived this week from Garland, Texas where "numerous" monarchs were sighted by students on March 14. Also on 3/24 from Longview, Texas. I was interested to hear this report from Longview, because Longview is way east, and away from the monarchs' major spring pathway. I wonder if they're going near Louisiana and avoiding the dry prairies. I just don't know. However, I do know people are reporting far fewer this spring than last spring."
From:
Dr. Gary Ross
Monarch Biologist
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
March 25, 1996
"Not a single monarch yet this year! We did a butterfly survey over
the weekend just north of Baton Rouge and near Leesville, LA. I
also heard from workers who travel back and forth from the oil rigs
in the Gulf of Mexico. They say they haven't spotted a single
monarch either! They travel regularly to an oil rig 70 miles
offshore from Cameroon, LA and often see monarchs that appear to be
taking a short cut across the Gulf.
"Actually, I'm glad they're late. Very, very few milkweeds, if any, are available. We had major freezes this winter, the coldest in last 5-6 years. It got down to 10 F which is very cold for Baton Rouge. The winter freeze knocked all the plants back and this is the first year I can remember plants so delayed in growth and flowering.
"There is also very little nectar available, in gardens or in the wild. The nectar of thistle flowers is a real favorite for the monarchs. It's usually in flower by now but this year it's only budding. Not only was it a cold winter, but we're having a drought this spring. These dry conditions should further delay flowering and plant growth. With Bill Calvert reporting drought in Texas it's no wonder the monarchs aren't beeing seen here yet."
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As a class, consider this question: Why is milkweed growth included in the discussion of monarch migration? Can you answer Challenge Question # 54?
Challenge Question # 54
"If milkweed and nectar sources are scarce in Texas and Louisiana this spring, how might this affect the timing of the monarchs' arrival in your backyard?"
To respond to this Challenge Question please follow the instructions at the end of this report.
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From Harte Elementary, New Orleans, LOUISIANA:
March 12, 1996
Our butterfly garden is not in good shape because of the freezing
weather, the first since 1989. Our plants are starting to come back
but I'm afraid we won't have milkweed or nectar plants when the
monarchs come through. We're holding our breath! The plants are not
dead but need a week of warm weather to sprout. We'll keep you
posted.
We did not have monarch butterflies all winter, but we did have monarchs just before Thanksgiving which I thought was very late. I had difficulty turning the butterflies loose because the temperature was so cold that the butterflies would not fly. Janice Catledge and Class, MAWSE@jazz.ucc.uno.edu
From First Colony School, Sugar Land, TEXAS
March 14, 1996
We have been nurturing a small but persistent group of monarchs this
winter here in Sugar Land, TX. This is a suburban Houston
community.
We have had monarchs in the area all winter! We believe due to our planting milkweed (Ascpelias curasavica) in the area, the monarchs have persisted. We find this good news because even though there was devastating in Mexico during Jan 1st weekend, we were feeding a dozen caterpillars. The all hatched out in our classroom January 11!
In fact, as we were raising our dozen, the local CBs station came out and did a really nice story on our students raising the monarchs. We hypothesize that their migratory instincts are somehow suppressed. We raised over 200 monarchs this past fall and released them. Evidently, not all left!
We have seen a few monarchs in the area, but we don't know if they are "ours" or from down south. Our records indicate that we saw them in Matagorda Bay last March 17th. We've good milkweed, taking extra good care of it during our recent freezing temperatures. So when our friends return, we can feed them. We are keeping our eyes on the skies over First Colony Middle School! Naomi Brown, Science Teacher Sugar Land, TX naomib@Gayle-Gaston.tenet.edu
Monarchs and Milkweed
Is your monarch habitat ready for the butterflies' return? While waiting for monarchs to arrive this spring, watch how their habitat changes.
1. Find a patch of wild milkweed. The stalks and pods of last year's plants are easy to find in the spring.
2. Visit the site each week Record the date the first milkweed shoots emerge from the ground.
3. Sketch the milkweed each week and measure the height of the stalk.
4. How tall is the milkweed when the first monarchs arrive in your region?
The Challenges of Migration
As you track the monarch migration, keep track also of the many obstacles monarchs face on their journey. Make a list of all the things monarchs need to complete their life cycle--and the challenges they encounter. Later this spring we'll have a writing contest in which you'll be asked to write an adventure story describing the journey of a single monarch on its trip from Mexico to your backyard. Now's the time to gather ideas for your story!
MONARCH MIGRATION REPORTS FROM OBSERVERS
From TEXAS:
March 1, 1996
A monarch in flight was observed by myself in NW Houston
(Intersection of Grant and Perry Roads) Saturday, Mar. 1, 1996 @
1530 hrs. Sunny day, clear, slightly windy from WNW.
Jeff Schultz, Teacher,
Robert A. Vines Environmental Science Center
jschultz@tenet.edu
From LOUISIANA:
St. Joseph's Academy Honors Biology students report three recent
sightings:
March 14th at 3:45 p.m. in Baton Rouge, LA
March 15th at 5:10 p.m. in Baton Rouge, LA
SJA3@aol.com
From TEXAS:
March 24, 1996
The first Monarch was spotted by Emily Garcia and Tammy Thomas, two
of my Journey North students. The time was 4:16 pm. The temperature
was 80-83 degress F. The latitude of Lockhart, TX is 29.53.05N, and
longitude is 97.40.11W.
Ms. Braley, Plum Creek Elementary School
Lockhart, Texas 78644
How to Respond to Challenge Question # 54:
1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of the message write: Challenge Question #54.
3. In the body of the message, give your school's name and location and answer this question:
"If milkweed and nectar sources are scarce in Texas and Louisiana this spring, how might this affect the timing of the monarchs' arrival in your backyard?"
The Next Monarch Migration Update Will be Posted on April 2, 1996
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