Date: 09/20/2001

Number: 1

Today, September 20, while I was conducting my field research project at
Lodge Glade in Ha Ha Tonka State Park near Camdenton, Missouri (Camden
County) I saw literally hundreds (if not thousands) of Monarchs nectaring on
Liatris aspera (Rough Blazing Star).
The season has been quite a good one
there for both the blazing star and the monarch. There were many hundreds of
plants of the Rough Blazing Star in full flower and the Monarchs were making
good use of them. There was good evidence that the Monarchs were roosting in
the trees surrounding the glade and were coming from these roosts directly
onto the glade to nectar on these plants.
I had seen a number of mating
Monarchs at this glade earlier in the season and the glade also supports a
number of species of native milkweeds which are utilized by the Monarchs. The
temperatures today reached around 80 degrees or so and it was a bright sunny
day with a light to moderate breeze for most of the day. Coincidentally there
were many other species of butterflies present in large numbers also.
The Monarchs were also using several other species as nectar sources,
including wild oregano (Cunila origanoides) and several species of goldenrod
(Solidago species).

This was probably one of the best days for Monarchs that I have ever
seen, given the numbers and the fact that many of them were also fresh and
very brightly colored.

Camdenton, MO

Latitude: 38 Longitude: -92.8

Observed by:
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