Overwintering Monarchs

Estela Romero and Ellen Sharp provide updates from monarch sanctuaries in Mexico. Plus, a special invitation to monitor overwintering monarchs along the Gulf states and South Atlantic states.

Clusters of Monarchs at Sierra Chincua Sanctuary, Mexico. Photo by: Estela Romero

Letter From Estela Romero: Monarchs Take Their Time Deciding Location

In Estela Romero's last letter until February, she reports on shifting monarch colonies at El Rosario and Sierra Chincua sanctuaries, and notes that population estimates of the colonies will begin in January. She writes, "Over the coming weeks, monarchs might still take time to increase their colonies in volume and density. January shall be the month of consolidation and official estimates of population. I shall then return with Spring weekly updates giving you all, for sure, exciting news on this extraordinary phenomenon."

For the rest of December and January, Ms. Romero will describe her school visits in her weekly blog posts delivering Symbolic Ambassador Butterflies (as part of the Symbolic Migration Project) and other environmental educational programming. Beginning in February, Ms. Romero will return to report on monarch happenings in the Sierra Chincua and El Rosario Sanctuaries until the monarchs take flight for points north.

Letter From Ellen Sharp: Ebbs and Flows

At Cerro Pelon Sanctuary, Ellen Sharp details some curious monarch behavior and highlights another important – albeit less frequented – site for monarch colonies. She writes, "At the beginning of most butterfly seasons, the CEPANAF rangers have traveled across the mountain to check in on another one of Cerro Pelon’s butterfly haunts . . . This year, three CEPANAF rangers along with three of the Butterflies & Their People forest guardians made the all-day trek to El Asoleadero together . . . All returned wowed by the experience."

A Special Invitation To Monitor Overwintering Monarchs

If you live in the Gulf states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida as well as Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, Journey North has a special invitation for you.

In a collaborative effort, Journey North, Monarchs Across Georgia, the University of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources are encouraging people to report monarch sightings in these states from December through March.

Read the full Press Release from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources: Researchers Invite Community to Help Monarch Conservation Efforts

What to Report

There are three types of observations you can submit to Journey North: