Here are the latest monarch reports! Several sightings were reported this week from Canada. Canada is the third country on the monarchs' migration itinerary, proving this butterfly is truly an international traveller.
Also noteworthy, our monarch expert, Dr. Karen Oberhauser, saw her first monarch of the season! Last spring she reported milkweed was just peeking out of the soil in her Minnesota garden on May 19th. As you'll read below, May 19th is the very same day it emerged this year!
Due to the cool spring, the monarch migration is late this year in many places. Therefore, we will continue to collect monarch sightings even after school is out. Please don't hesitate to send them! If you do not have access to the Internet you're welcome to send your reports over the summer by:
FAX: (612)339-7056
Phone: (612)339-6959
Mail: Journey North, 125 North First Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Over the past months we've watched robins, peregrine falcons and whales migrate across North America all the way to the arctic. Monarch butterflies are heading further north in every migration update. The following question comes to mind. How would you answer it?
Challenge Question # 120
"How far north do you think monarchs will migrate? Why?"
(To respond to this Challenge Question please see the instructions at the end of this report.)
Date..............Location
04/23/96..........Cape May, NJ...................(38.560 N, 74.542 W)
05/01/96..........Stewart Manor, Long Island, NY.(40.430 N, 73.412 W)
05/11/96..........Cape May, NJ...................(38.560 N, 74.542 W)
05/11/96..........Elmont, Long Island, NY........(40.420 N, 73.424 W)
05/11/96..........Berkeley Springs, WV...........(39.373 N, 78.133 W)
05/12/96..........Astoria Park, Queens, NY.......(40.464 N, 73.552 W)
05/14/96..........Omemee, ON.................... (44.500 N, 79.300 W)
05/14/96..........Point Pelee National Park, Kingsville, ON..(42.000 N,
82.500)
05/17/96..........Newport News, VA...............(36.584 N, 76.254 W)
05/17/96..........Rockford, IL.................. (42.161 N, 89.053 W)
05/18/96..........New Richmond, WI.............. (45.072 N, 92.321 W)
05/18/96..........Pittsburgh, PA................ (40.262 N, 79.594 W)
05/18/96..........Chatfield, MN................. (43.504 N, 92.112 W)
05/19/96..........Brighton, ON...................(44.000 N, 78.000 W)
05/20/96..........McLean, VA.................... (8.560 N, 77.104 W)
From NEW JERSEY:
April 23
The first monarch butterfly of the season was spotted in
North Cape May, in the dunes along the edge of the Delaware Bay.
No other monarchs were seen until May 11th. During a seawatching
field trip, a monarch was seen with a telescope as it flew north in
off the Delaware Bay. The observer was on Cape May Point, the
southernmost tip of land in Delaware Bay.
Cape May Bird Observatory keeps yearly records of spring monarch sightings. Here are the first sightings of arriving monarchs reported in other years during April.
Date..... First Monarch(s)
1993 April 24
1994 April 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 25
1995 April 9, 16, 20, 22, 26,
1996 April 23
Patricia Sutton
Teacher/Naturalist
Cape May Bird Observatory
Cape May, New Jersey
From NEW YORK:
May 1
Here are some late reports on Monarch Butterfly sightings from
students in my class.
May 1, 1996: Vincent saw a male Monarch on a dandelion in the
school yard during recess. Stewart Manor, Long Island, New York
May 11, 1996: Salina saw a Monarch flying right across her face
as she rode her bike down the street in Elmont, Long Island, New York.
May 12, 1996: Kristen saw two Monarchs in Astoria Park, Queens, New
York. They were bright orange and flying together tackling each other.
Tom was excited to get an e-mail message from his cousin that he has
seen a monarch. Unfortunately his cousin didn't send enough data for
us to use the report.
Ms. Babcock's fourth grade PALS group
Elmont Public Schools
Elmont, Long Island, New York
k12elbac@vaxd.hofstra.edu
From ONTARIO:
May 14
Another monarch has been sighted. The milkweed here has just
sprouted and the spring flowers are in bloom. The monarches are
usually sighted here around mid May to late May but sightings have
been reported on earlier incidences.
Miles McLaren and Jordan Brown
Scott Young Public School
Omemee, ON
syoung@web.apc.org
From ONTARIO:
May 14
Spring is arriving in spits and starts. Some days in Ontario have been
quite warm. However, overall, our temperatures are below normal. On
Monday, at Presqu^ile Provincial Park there were a few snow flurries!
No monarch butterfly sightings yet. However, a Bill Lemond has spotted a monarch at Point Pelee National Park on May 14th. Apparently temperatures in Ohio were high last week. So that should mean we see monarchs soon.
I am invited to a tree planting ceremony in Ottawa. The President of Mexico is to plant an oyamel fir tree. (This is the same species found at the monarch wintering sanctuaries in Mexico.) More news to follow.
Don Davis
Kingsville, Ontario
129@freenet.toronto.on.ca
From ILLINOIS:
May 17
We saw our first monarch of the season!! While leading a field trip
for Franklin School 3rd graders we saw a monarch at 10:30 am on
Friday the 17th. On Saturday, May 18th we saw 2 more with our
Audubon Adventure Group.
Don Miller
Severson Dells Environmental Education Center
Rockford, Illinois
From VIRGINIA:
May 17
On May 10th, the grand daugther of one of our Volunteers, Tede
Johnson, sighted a female Monarch in grandma's backyard, possibly
laying eggs on their common milkweed. The backyard is located in
the Stoneybrook neighborhood in northern Newport News, Virginia.
Today, May 17th, Tede reported two caterpillars just visible to the
naked eye on her milkweed. The milkweed in her garden is currently
in bud. We usually see the first Monarchs in late April (average
date of last frost here is April 20th). The sighted monarch was a
"nice bright one" with, wings in excellent condition. We're not
officially registered, but thought you would like to know!
Judy Molnar, Education Associate
VIRGINIA LIVING MUSEUM
vlmedu@paracom.com
From WISCONSIN:
May 18
On May 18, I saw one monarch near New Richmond, WI. I didn't get
close enough to determine its sex, since it was flying fast.
However, from its behavior I'd guess it was a male. Females usually
fly in a more leisurely fashion. I was surprised to see it so
early, because I hadn't seen any milkweed yet, but on May 19 I saw
the first plant push through the soil in my garden. What timing!
The site near New Richmond is where my students and I are carrying
out a long-term monitoring project looking at monarch densities and
behavior each summer. New Richmond is in St. Croix county in west
central WI, not far from the St. Croix River.
Dr. Karen Oberhauser
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, Minnesota
From MINNESOTA:
May 18
On Saturday May 18th we saw our first monarch. It was about 80
degrees F. It was our first 80 degree day of the year. We saw it in
Chatfield, MN. We couldn't tell if it was male or female.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Cansler's 7th grade class
Willow Creek Middle School
Rochester, MN
From PENNSYLVANIA:
May 18
My class and I are very excited to report this news to you. We
spotted a Monarch in Pittsburgh, PA on May 18, 1996. This occurred
while I was at a wetlands that is owned by U.S. Steel and adopted
for an outdoor classroom by the Baldwin-Whitehall School District.
It was at the end of a dedication ceremony that we had for our
Shelter that we had built there. The Monarch was it very good shape
and flapping it's wings. The temp. was 89F and it was sunny, with no
clouds in the sky. The female seemed to be traveling north and it
was nectaring. The milkweed was only 4-5 inches tall due to our wet
Spring. We are located at 40.30N and 70.0 W.
Sincerely,
Joy Kretzler and her 3rd grade class
Paynter Elementary School
Pittsburgh, PA
sal7+@pitt.edu
From ONTARIO:
May 19
The first monarch butterfly sighting at Presqu'ile Provincial Park
was seen on Sunday, May 19th by Mike Gurr, a member of The Toronto
Entomologists' Association. The butterfly was spotted flying near
the University of Waterloo Research Station. (Presqu'ile Provincial
Park is located near Brighton, Ontario.)
Over the past weekend in Ontario, dramatically warmer weather
arrived and broke many temperature records. Unfortunately, these
extremely warm temperatures also spawned a number of heavy
thunderstorms and a number of tornadoes. This also resulted in many
rare birds being seen in the province.
Don Davis
Kingsville, Ontario
129@freenet.toronto.on.ca
From VIRGINIA:
May 20
Our fourth graders at Franklin Sherman Elementary continue to see
monarch butterflies in the area (especially on the soccer field),
and their wings are in great shape. One of our students (Zach)
reported seeing one while his family visited near Berkeley Springs,
West Virginia on May 11. We'll keep you posted, in case any more
students spot the monarchs in other locations. Meanwhile, our class
is studying the metamorphosis of the Painted Lady Butterfly. We
received the caterpillars about ten days ago, and we already have
chrysalises!
Franklin Sherman Elementary
McLean, Virginia ( 8.560 N, 77.104 W)
PSkibins@aol.com
How to Respond to Challenge Questions # 120
1. Send an e-mail message to: jn-challenge@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line write: Challenge Question # 120
3. In the Body of your message, answer this question:
"How far north do you think monarchs will migrate? Why?"
The Next Monarch Butterfly Migration Update Will be Posted on May 28, 1996.
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