Monarch Butterflies
Migration Update: March 20, 2008
Please Report
Your Sightings! >>

Today's Report Includes:


Who saw this monarch in Mexico's Chihuahuan Desert? >>

The Migration: Maps, Questions and Highlights

Map/Sightings

 Where will the monarchs go next?

Map Questions >>

Highlights: A Clear Arrival in Texas This Week
The migration map looked blank while we waited. Dr. Calvert said last week that millions of monarchs were heading north. When and where would they appear?

"The leading edge of the spring migration typically crosses the Rio Grande around March 15th," said Mike Quinn of Texas Parks and Wildlife. On that very day, a very, very faded monarch came into Mr. Harlen Aschen's garden in Victoria, TX. "I am pretty certain it is a re-migrant coming up out of Mexico," he said.

Look how many eggs the butterfly laid! When monarchs lay multiple eggs on a plant it's a sign that milkweed is scarce. This is often true in springtime in Texas. The monarchs arrive just as the native milkweeds poke up from the soil. By March 16th and 17th, strong south winds had scattered monarchs across the state. The monarchs have arrived in Texas!

See more photos on Mr. & Mrs. Aschen's web site.

Eggs mean monarchs!
One way to watch for monarchs is to watch for monarch eggs. Check your milkweed regularly and you'll know when monarchs have arrived in your region.
Spotlight: What Does Spring Migration Look Like? >>

Monarchs filled the sky when they were leaving their wintering sites in Mexico. Sixty miles north of the sanctuaries, an observer counted 30 monarchs per minute in Queretaro, Queretaro, last Friday. However, by the time the migration reaches Texas people don't see such large numbers of butterflies.

"It's not dramatic, actually, what you see," says monarch biologist Dr. Bill Calvert. "You never see too many at once. You may see one or two an hour. That would be a good spring migration."

  • More: Dr. Calvert compares spring and fall migration in Texas >>
Explore: Predicting the Route of the Monarch's Spring Migration 

The monarchs are pouring out of Mexico now and trickling into Texas. Where do you think they will appear next? New Mexico? Oklahoma? Arkansas? (You might be surprised!)

Why do the monarchs travel where they do? By tracking the migration "live" we can help answer questions like these. Let's watch carefully this spring and see what we can learn.

Slideshow >>

Challenge Question #7: Where Will They Go Next?

Now that the monarchs have arrived in Texas, where do you think they'll go next?

Question: Name the next 12 states you think the migration will pass through, in order. Why do you predict the monarchs will travel this way? Give reasons to explain your thinking.

To Respond: Write in your journal and send us your answer for possible inclusion in next week's update.

Tip: We will keep track this spring each time the migration enters a new state or province. Use this handout to make your predictions and record the results.

Handout >>

Answer to last week's
Challenge Question #6 >>
Links: Monarch Butterfly Resources to Explore
  • Predicting: Predicting the Route of the Spring Migration >>
  • Writing: Keep a Spring Monarch Butterfly Migration Journal >>
  • Analyzing Migration Maps: Watch Your Language! >>
  • Reading Strategy: Summarize Information >>
  • Overview: About the Monarch Butterfly Spring Migration >>
  • Mapping—Key Lessons & Resources: Making, Reading and Interpreting Maps >>
  • Monarchs for Kids (booklets, photos, videos) >>
More Monarch Lessons and Teaching Ideas!

The Next Monarch Migration Update Will Be Posted on March 28, 2008.

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