Monarch Migration Update: April 1, 2005 Today's Report Includes:
News
from the Migration Trail An Afternoon in Arkansas: Chasing Monarchs With Dr. Edson
With that, Dr. Edson took off with his net. In less than three he was back: “Success! I captured a female at about 4:00 pm. She was nectaring on some vetch in the wildflower plot. Now we will see if she will lay some eggs.” He even sent her picture! This monarch has been alive for a long time. She survived her fall migration to Mexico, the 5-month overwintering period, and her spring migration as far as Arkansas--over 1,000 miles. She’ll spend the last days of her life in the safety of Jim Edson's lab, laying eggs for the next generation. Consider this:
Louisiana and Florida Sightings Raise Questions Notice the new sightings in the Gulf Coast states of LA and FL. In both cases, the monarchs appeared to be old. Dr. Gary Ross saw three worn females and one worn male in Mandeville, LA. On the same day in Woodville, Florida, a very pale monarch "appeared to be looking for milkweed, since it landed on every sprig of new growth as it flew." Where
Did the Monarchs Come From? What
Will Happen Next?
(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) New Butterfly or Old? Discussion of Challenge Question #8 Miss Smith's third graders met in the Science Lab today to learn more about Monarchs. They wrote, "We think that... Great job wing-watching! As to which of the butterflies pictured were truly from Mexico, nobody knows for sure, but you've learned one way to look for clues. Mass Migration in California: Discussion of Challenge Question #7 We asked, "Do YOU think the massive migration in California this week was of monarch butterflies?" Ms. Gradowski's sixth graders in Bay City, Michigan were called upon twice to answer this question. They were in class when the telephone rang. It was Ms. G's sister calling from California while she was driving through a swarm of butterflies!
How to Respond to Today's Monarch Challenge Question 1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-monarch@learner.org 2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #9 (or #10) 3. In the body of your message, answer the question above.
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