Date: 10/14/2002

Number: 1

Monday, 10/14/02 in Camp Wood between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., hundreds and hundreds of Monarchs descended on the top of the Pecan trees by the Nueces River and started roosting in the top of one of the tallest Pecan trees.

Since prior to this time, I had seen only three over a space of two weeks, I
did not expect to see much if any of the migration activities.

They were
flying so high up that they looked like mosquitoes in the sky. If you know
how high Hawks and Vultures fly, that is how high these butterflies were.
Today has been raining and cooling to 50-60. There is heavy cloud cover,
and I can only believe that the Monarchs were flying above those clouds.
They were coming from the East and going toward the trees on the West side
of our property.

I don't know if you can see how thick they are from these two pictures
because the day was so gray and the light very dim.

We checked the next morning from 7:00 a.m. on the Monarchs that were in the
top of the tall native Pecan tree. It was at exactly 9:00 a.m. that they
started leaving the tree and went in a Southwest direction across the Nueces
River. There was no feeding or delay.


I believe that wherever those Monarchs came from, they must have hit the
cold, wet weather and were exhausted.


I have seen only two Monarchs since and they were flying lower and seemed in
no hurry.


An item of interest that is occurring here along with the Monarchs. The
Scissor-tailed Flycatchers mass on different areas. I read one report from
a Uvalde person that they ate Monarchs. Well, for over a week before this
migration of Monarchs came, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were all over the
area. Now they are gone!

I will keep you updated if any further Monarch action occurs.

Camp Wood, TX

Latitude: 29.7 Longitude: -100

Observed by: Betty
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