Do you have any idea why only TWO monarch sightings have been reported this month? Read butterfly biologist Gary Ross' comments about the "generation gap" below. In the next weeks we should all know the answer!
Also posted today in separate messages:
* LAST CALL! Ask the Expert: Monarch Butterflies * Monarchs in Mexico: Translation of the Year End Summary * Teacher Writes About Monarch Sanctuaries in Mexico
This week's reports:
Date Location April 15 Lincoln, Nebraska April 19 Beckley, West Virginia April 19 Alexandria, Virginia April 22 Columbia Heights, Minnesota (Mpls. suburb) April 22 Lincoln, Nebraska April 23 Pleasant Hill, California April 25 Bayville, Long Island, New York April 27 Elmont, Long Island, New York April 28 Lincoln, Nebraska April 28 Minneapolis, Minnesota April 29 Washington, D.C. April 30 Auburn, Alabama May 5 Chicago, Illinois May 6 Lincoln, Nebraska
The Generation Gap?
"Why have there been so few monarch reported this month? This might very well be the anticipated lull during the production of the 1st spring generation. You'd have to conclude that most of the adults from the wintering generation are now dead. Since they were first spotted in March they've laid their eggs and expended all their energy.
But the younger generation is on the way! About a dozen adult monarchs emerged in my garden on May 1st and 2nd. These adults are the "children" of the butterflies that migrated to Louisiana from Mexico.
"How will we know if the next monarchs sighted are new adults? Remember to look VERY CLOSELY at the condition of the wings. Newly emerged adults have very vivid coloring. If you're in southern regions where monarchs have been sighted, you should also check milkweed for the eggs that migrants might have left along their way."
Dr. Gary Ross, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
CHALLENGE QUESTION:
If the monarchs laid their eggs the day they arrived in Baton Rouge (March 22), how many days did it take for them to develop into adults?
Send your answer to: jnorth@jriver.com
*******************************************************
April 15 In Lincoln, Nebraska (97 West, 41 N) monarch butterflies have been sighted. Stephen Austria saw a monarch outside of Fredstrom School on April 28. Wimmian Abbott spotted a monarch in Milford, NE, located 20 miles west of Lincoln, on 4/22/95. Natalie Gerdes saw a monarch by her house in the Highlands neighborhood in northwest Lincoln on 5/6/95. Philip Chen spotted 3 monarchs in his yard in the Highlands neighborhood on April 15, 1995.We're still looking!
Mrs. Ough's 5th grade class Fredstrom Elementary School Mrs. Thornton, Science Teacher rschink@lps.esu18.k12.ne.us
April 19 Two students report seeing monarchs on April 19/95. One had worn wings while the other had smooth wings (*the monarchs that is!!!) Mrs. Lilly's Science Class Park Jr. High in Beckley, West Virginia (38 degrees North Latitude and 81 degrees West Longitude) Reported by: Donald_Davis@stubbs.woodsworth.utoronto.ca
April 19 Emily Sniffen from Bayville Elementary School, Long Island, New York was on vacation and saw a monarch on 4/19 in Alexandria, Va. It was a sunny day, around 86 degrees, at about 5pm. The monarch was flying and landed on a flowering tree. His wings seemed in good condition. Emily is in Mrs. Medwed's 5th grade. Two children from Mrs. Spelatis' 5th grade in Bayville, Long Island spotted Monarchs on 4/25. Around 1pm Eric Leibold saw one flying on the playground. It passed just a few feet away so he feels sure it was a monarch. Also, Kaynaz Mehta saw one at 4:30 on the same day in front of the library in Bayville. It was on the ground, and took off when she was a few feet away. It was a beautiful sunny day, about 70 degrees. Bayville is on the north shore of Long Island, about 1/3 of the way out from New York City K12LOKMH@vaxc.hofstra.edu
April 22 We would like to report two monarch sightings here in Minneapolis. One was just off of University Avenue in Mpls. on Friday, April 28. The weather was mid 50's and sunny. Our other sighting was Sat. April 22 near Columbia Heights by a parent of a student in our room. We are excited to see more and have located milkweed at a nearby park and will monitor its growth. Eco Investigators from Room 220 Pillsbury Math Science Technology Teacher: Todd Pierson 001pel@InforMNs.k12.MN.US
April 23 To the Journey North people: I think I saw a monarch. It was orange and black. April 23 1995 11:10 a.m. Noel Chrisman, Sequoia Elementary School Pleasant Hill, CA Anastasion@aol.com
April 27 Adina Davis saw a Monarch Butterfly near the Cross Island Parkway in the fields of grass and weeds last Thursday, April 27 in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Ms. Babcock's Monday Class, Alden Terrace School Elmont, New York K12ELBAC@vaxc.hofstra.edu
April 29 I saw my first monarch of the spring at about 11:30 am, Apirl 29th. It was being buffetted by the wind at Haynes Point, in Washington, D.C.(38 N, 77 W). I have been out of town, so do not know whether they were here any earlier. Since it rained heavily all day April 30, I've been wondering What do they do when it rains? (I presume find shelter under leaves,etc) How many days of rain in a row can they survive? (They do need to drink nectar don't they? And I doubt that they could have drunk any on April 30) Karen Hollweg khollweg@aed.org
April 30 Hello, Journey North! We are fifth grade students at J.F. Drake Middle School in Auburn, Alabama. We are participating in the Journey North program. One student says he has seen one monarch on April 30, 1995. Our latitude is 32.35 N, and our longitude is 85.26 W. We think that it's been too cold and windy to see many monarchs here. We are going on a field trip on May 6, to Calloway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. While there, we will visit the Day Butterfly House and hope to learn more about butterflies. Emma, David, Shree, and Wryn Mrs. Carol Rogow, Library Media Specialist rogowcd@mail.auburn.edu
May 5 My students and I worked in our school garden on Friday, May 5, early in the afternoon. To our surprise, we saw two butterflies. One of them was a monarch! It flew away very quickly and we really could not check the condition of its wings. Hopefully, we'll see more of them in the near future. April in Chicago was very cold and wet and nature seemed to put everything "on hold". This weekend was beautiful. All buds burst into leaves and there are spring flowers blooming everywhere! Mrs. Waszak, 7th Grade Science Teacher Irving Park Middle School Chicago. IkaBW@aol.com
Journey North 125 North First Street Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 Phone: (612)339-6959