The monarch migration continues with nine reports this week from the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. We'll discuss the theories of the monarchs' spring migration in our next report. In the meantime, think about this question: How far north do you expect this generation of monarchs to go?
Date Location March 13 Austwell, Texas March 17 Matagorda, Texas March 18 New Orleans, Louisiana March 21 Cuero, Texas (NW of Victoria) March 22 New Orleans, Louisiana March 22 Baton Rouge, Louisiana March 23 Luling, Texas (near Austin) March 23 Granger Lake, Texas March 25 Sumrall, Mississippi
March 13
Hello from whooping crane headquarters. Monarchs are now being seen here sporadically on our part of the Texas coast though it's nothing like the fall migration when they come through in huge numbers. I wonder why it's different in the spring. Maybe they fly over at higher altitudes or take a different route. I'll be flying over the whooping cranes on Wednesday and report back to you. They usually begin to migrate in early April. Tom Stehn, Whooping Crane Biologist. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Austwell, Texas.
March 17
From Matagorda Beach, Matagorda, Texas. Friday, March 17, we spotted numerous Monarchs along the beach. We are from First Colony Middle School, Sugarland, Texas. Unable to send lat and longitude. Beau Brown naomib@tenet.edu
March 22
Yesterday, March 22 we observed two monarch butterflies mating in our butterfly garden. Earlier we reported having seen at least 10 monarchs in the past few days. However, it is possible we could have seen some of the same butterflies again and again. They were very busy mating at 11:30am. We have not seen eggs yet. But we are waiting and are sure we will have some on our milkweed soon. Over the past weekend many of us have spotted monarchs around the city. We usually see many butterflies in the Spring. However, they have as yet to arrive. Our latitude is 30 degrees north and 90 degrees west. Our school is Alice M. Harte Elementary School. New Orleans, Louisiana. MAWSE@jazz.ucc.uno.edu
March 22
Hi. This is Dr. Gary Ross reporting from Baton Rouge, La. Today I saw 3 monarchs (one male and one female) in my garden so they're definitely come this far north. The females were laying eggs on my milkweed. There were also reports of monarchs in New Orleans last weekend, March 18 & 19th.
March 25 My seven year old son Andrew saw the first Monarch of the year here in Sumrall, Mississippi today, March 25, 1994 Hope this helps. Jeff Ratliff tratliff@whale.st.usm.edu
Monarch Migration Through Texas
The following report was drawn from comments made by Dr. Bill Calvert whose research focuses on the monarchs' migratory pathways through Texas and Oklahoma:
As of March 23rd, south winds returned to Texas and monarchs were moving again. Over 30 were seen near Quero, Texas (3/21/95) before the winds turned around. Last Thursday, March 23rd Dr. Calvert counted 70 eggs on just 40 milkweed plants near Luling, Texas. Thirty were also sighted in Granger Lake area. He doesn't think the monarchs move much during north winds and may accumulate in a region until favorable winds arise from the south.
Migration through Texas is now heavy. They've been sighted all throughout Central Texas in the prairie belt region. This region extends in a belt about 50 miles wide straight up from the coast to Dallas. Cuero is roughly in the center of this belt and Austin is on its western fringe. Dr. Calvert wonders if they follow this belt because milkweed emerges earliest in this region. Fewer sightings have been reported from regions to the east of this belt and from west Texas.
What Would You Do in the Scientist's Shoes?
As you collect reports of monarch sightings from your Internnet classmates this spring you will need to think critically, just as a scientist must. Will you accept all the reports as fact? Will there be some that you will question? What criteria will you use?
In the scientific community there is a formal review process through which scientists present and defend their findings to colleagues. For example, when reporting an unusual or unexpected observation of a migratory species the scientist might be asked to provide a photograph or write a thorough and convincing description of their observation.
We will include the E-mail address that accompanies each report so that you can correspond with the observer to gain more information and ask questions. You might ask, "Who is the observer and what is their level of experience?" "How regularly was the observer watching for monarchs before reporting the 'first' monarch in the region?" "Can the observer distinguish between a monarch butterfly and viceroy butterfly?" While students can make valuable contributions to science they must follow the same standards that scientists do: Students must make careful observations, write accurate reports and be prepared to respond to questions from their peers.
The two CHALLENGE QUESTIONS below asked that you to think carefully about observations that were previously reported. Here are students' thoughts:
Q. How do you explain the monarch sightings that were reported from Florida and Texas in February?
A. We think that the monarchs never left the area of Texas and Florida due to a very mild winter. They probably stayed there and never migrated more south.
Q. Why does the finding of a chrysalis on the weekend of March 18th suggest there were monarchs wintering in the Austin area?
A. It was stated that the process of laying eggs and creating a cocoon can take from 4-6 weeks, so that must mean that the monarchs were in Austin in February, if you count back those weeks. If they were there in Feb. then they were probably there all winter and never went to Mexico. Mrs. Berger's Class K12ROBZJ@vaxd.hofstra.edu
Thanks to Mr Vergeldt's class at Gaylord Middle School, Gaylord, MI for the "Net Butterfly" below!
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Journey North 125 North First Street Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 Phone: (612)339-6959